Stars and sports legends turn out for USA Ryder cup bid

CHICAGO, Illinois (AFP) - United States (US) Ryder Cup skipper Davis Love called in the big names yesterday as he strove to fire up his team ahead of their bid to regain the trophy from Europe here this week.

The first-time captain has already make it clear that basketball legend Michael Jordan would be encouraged to play a motivational role in inspiring a US win on Sunday.

And several showbiz celebrities and former sports greats with Chicago clubs were in action on the course playing a 2012 Ryder Cup Captains and Celebrity Scramble golf event over 10 holes of the Medinah Country Club layout.

These included golf addicts Bill Murray and Justin Timberlake as well as Ernie Banks (baseball), Richard Dent (American football), Stan Mikita (ice-hockey) and Scottie Pippen (basketball)