Portugal may have finished 3-2 winners in their Euro 2012  Group B clash with Denmark in Lviv but Nicklas Bendtner enhanced his reputation with a brace of headers which kept his side in the game. And he happened to be wearing a pair of Paddy Power lucky pants as he did it.

We here on the Paddy Power Blog are not saying that Nicklas Bendtner scored twice because he was wearing his Paddy Power Lucky Pants but we’re definitely taking credit for the second one. Of course, the fact Serbia were fined less for their racist fans just makes Nicklas a saint in our eyes.

2. Grannies on a zebra crossing (2002) ↑

The most complained-about ad in the UK in 2002 depicted two old ladies crossing a road with odds bubbles above their heads. We were clearly betting on who would get across the road first. Some people got the impression that the menacing 4×4 in background meant we were betting on which of the grannies would be run over first. Lots of old people weren’t happy.

3. The sky’s the 140-character limit (2002) ↑

Paddy Power decided to take to the skies above the Medinah Country Club (USA) to deliver the world’s first ‘sky tweet’ campaign in support of Team Europe at the 2012 Ryder Cup tournament. It wasn’t long before everyone at the course saw what was happening and Sky Sports started to broadcast the sky tweets live on air to viewers at home. It was so good the BBC repeated the tweets during their Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony on Sunday, December 16. Thanks, Beeb.

4. Hurls allowed (2003) ↑

Ireland is unique in having two Championships of professional standard played by amateurs every single year. We spotted a way of rewarding players that wasn’t in breach of any rules. We simply wrote Paddy Power on hurleys (see above). To say it caused consternation would be a massive understatement. The sponsorship was the subject of national debate to such an extent that we pulled it after just one game because it was interfering with players’ preparation for the biggest day of their lives.

5. Paddy goes to Rome (2005) ↑

We had been betting on who would be next Pope for a number of years, and when John Paul II was obviously very ill, interest in his successor soared. When Pope John Paul II died, there was a period of mourning in Rome and the world’s media were camped in Rome with nothing to talk about. We thought it would be a good idea to give them a story. So Paddy Power (pictured above) and Head of Mischief Ken Robertson packed their bags and jumped on a plane to Rome. They went straight to St Peter’s Square, set up a bookies stand and began shouting odds. There was huge interest from the public in Rome as everyone wanted to know who the bookies thought would be next Pope. The media caught the bug too and over the course of three days they were interviewed on more than 90 international TV networks. The highlight of the adventure was when Ken had a gun pulled on him by a member of the Italian Secret Service, he somehow managed to evade capture.

6. Sweet Jesus (2005) ↑

More religious stuff. Paddy Power causes a storm with an advertising campaign featuring Jesus and the apostles gambling at the Last Supper. The billboard posters were emblazoned with the slogan: ‘There’s a place for fun and games.’ It was adapted from Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting of the Biblical story of the Last Supper and showed Jesus with a stack of poker chips and other chums playing cards and roulette. Sure, isn’t that what they were doing?

7. Tiger blows it (2009) ↑

It takes a special kind of company to turn what should have been our best ever golf result into our worst but that’s exactly what Paddy Power did with the USPGA in August.  For some very questionable reason we took the unprecedented step of paying out over €1m to backers of Tiger Woods before the world number one teed off for round three of the USPGA. At that time of Tiger was four shots clear at the top of the leader board and was the bookies red-hot 1/5 favourite to win the final Major of the year.  Unfortunately for us, Tiger failed to produce his trademark magic in the final two rounds resulting in our record breaking seven-figure cock-up, the biggest ever mistake of its kind.

8. Cat amongst the pigeons (2010) ↑

This TV ad showing a cat being kicked into a tree by a blind footballer was the most-complained-about UK advert of the year. Some people.

9.  Cheltenham goes a bit Hollywood (2010) ↑

Paddy Power had a 50ft Hollywood-style sign erected on Cleeve Hill for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. Tewkesbury Borough Council said the sign did not have planning permission. “We’re pretty excited about it, it’s probably going to be a bit of a tourist attraction for the area,” said Paddy, before being forced to remove the sign.

10. Ryder in a storm (2010) ↑

Paddy Power is forced again to take down another Hollywood-style sign next to Celtic Manor after losing a battle with Monmouthshire County Council during the Ryder Cup. PAH!

11. Gagged over Giggs (2011) ↑

Newspapers refuse to publish ads featuring former Big Brother contestant Imogen Thomas with a whistle, and wearing a Manchester United kit, next to the words: ‘Blow Me!’ The reality TV star was picked for the Paddy Power campaign after claims she had an affair with footballer Ryan Giggs.

12. Chav a go of this (2012) ↑

We ‘take care of the Chavs – veterinary style’ is revealed and becomes an internet sensation just one week after a Ladies’ Day advert for Cheltenham featuring transgendered actresses is pulled from TV.

SHE’S JESS SUPERB: The world’s smuggest belly button is 9/1 for BBC Sports Personality of the year

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012 will be announced this Sunday. For once, it’s more competitive than a paternity test on the Jermey Kyle Show, with a whole host of athletes who have had stellar years battling it out for the accolade.

Bradley Wiggins is the red-hot odds-on favourite after his incredible year on the bike, but with a range of successful Olympians and Paralympians, a Wimbledon finalist and the greatest Ryder Cup comeback in history, is this the toughest year to pick a winner in living memory?

Here’s our guide to the leading contenders for the award…

Bradley Wiggins – 3/10

First Brit to ever win the Tour de France and then won Gold at the Olympics in the time trial, becoming Britain’s most decorated Olympian with seven medals to his name. Somehow made sideburns fashionable. Might get a sympathy vote after some joker in a Vauxhall Astra knocked him off his bike.

Jessica Ennis – 6/1

The poster girl for London 2012 and a shoe-in for the not yet created Sports Personality and Abs of the Year. Ennis won gold in the heptathlon with a British and Commonwealth record score of 6,955 beating plenty of records on the way. She opted out of the 100 metres hurdle, but her time of 12.54 seconds would have put her right in the mix for a medal in that – which would have been quite an achievement for a non-specialist hurdler.

Mo Farah 7/1

A double Olympic champion winning the 5,000 and 10,000 metres in London. The noise in the Olympic Stadium as Farah kicked for home in the final of the 5,000m was one of the highlights of the event. On top of that, he was European Athlete of the Year for 2012, adding to the title he won in 2011. Plus, he invented the ‘Mobot’ celebration craze with some help from James Corden.

Andy Murray – 16/1

ONE GOLD IN MIND: Olympic champion Murray went on to break his Grand Slam duck (pic: Inpho)

2012 will be remembered as a year as hugely satisfying excessive fist-pumping for Murray. He won Gold for Britain in the Olympics and broke his Grand Slam duck by winning the US Open. Became the first British male to reach a Wimbledon Final since 1938 but got thumped by Rodger Federer. Broke down in tears, instantly gaining more support.

David Weir – 40/1

The Paralympic athlete won four Gold medals at the games in the 800m, 1500m, 5000m and the marathon. He won the London marathon for the sixth time and has been described as the greatest wheelchair racer of all time.

Ellie Simmonds – 55/1

The 2008 Young Sports Personality of the Year won four medals at London 2012 including two golds. The 18-year-old Paralympian broke two world records at the games on her way to outstanding success in the pool. Her tenacity and beaming smile make her hugely popular with the British sporting public.

Rory McIlroy – 80/1

Golf’s World Number One and the PGA Championship winner 2012. He won the European Tour Order of Merit, the PGA Player of the Year and the PGA Tour leading money winner. It’s been a brilliant year for McIlroy topped off with that dramatic Ryder Cup win. And things look to be going well very with Caroline Wozniacki. All in all, another great year for silly-pants wearing’s most exciting talent.

Chris Hoy – 100/1

A KNIGHT TO REMEMBER – Sir Chris carried the British flag at the opening ceremony (pic: Inpho)

Hoy’s major hurdle is that brilliance is now just expected as standard from him. But the Edinburgh native continues to deliver, winning gold in both the Team Sprint and Keirin at this year’s Olympics. Add to that bronze in the Sprint and gold in the Keirin at the World Championships and you’ve got an impressive record. The odds are against the 2008 SPOTY winner however. Only three people have one the accolade more than once (Nigel Mansell, Henry Cooper and Damon Hill) and in such a competitive year, he’ll find it hard to join them.

Katherine Grainger – 200/1

Grainger may not have to buy quite as much Brasso as some of the other contenders for this year’s award, but her story has the right mix of resilience and excellence to strike a chord with the public. After winning silver medals at the three previous Olympic games, the rower finally landed gold this time around when she partnered Anna Watkins to victory in the double sculls.

Ben Ainslie – 200/1

Ainslie became the most successful sailor in Olympic history when he claimed his fourth gold medal on the bounce this summer. We also claimed gold in the Finn class in this year’s World Championships. More important than all that bling however, he achieved something we all though was virtually impossible – he made sailing cool. The SPOTY has a habit of throwing up some surprise results and having brought the curtain down on his Olympic career, he’s an interesting outsider at a big price.

Nicola Adams – 250/1

Adams claimed a slice of history by becoming the first female boxer to win an Olympic gold medal this summer. That nugget of trivia is an achievement of scheduling rather than anything else and it’s her performances in the ExCel Arena that deserve the real attention. She dominated the flyweight division this summer (winning her fights by a combined score of 43-20), beaten her nemesis, Ren Cancan of China in the final.

Sarah Storey – 300/1

Few athletes in British sporting history have shown the versatility and dominance of Storey. She win 16 Paralmypic medals (five gold) in swimming before turning her attention to cycling in 2005 and going on to rack up the bling in that sport too. She won four golds at the London games in the Individual Pursuit C5, the Time Trial C4-5 500m, the Individual Road Time Trial C5 and the Individual Road Race C4-5 adding to the two golds she claimed in Beijing.

• BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012 Betting

Europe’s history-making Ryder Cup team has sobered up for long enough to give Paddy Power the thumbs up for helping them complete one of the biggest fight-backs in the tournament’s history.

Going into the 12 single matches 10-6 down it looked bleak for Jose Maria Olazabal’s team but with the encouragement from Paddy Power’s sky tweets they were able to record a remarkable 14 1/2 – 13 1/2 victory.

Paddy Power spent Saturday and Sunday writing messages of encouragement to the team such as ‘Do it for Seve’, ‘Down but not out’ and ‘We Believe’. The sky writing obviously did the trick, inspiring the team to a dramatic and thrilling win over the Americans.

As well as writing out messages for the team Paddy Power created sky tweets for key European players and poked fun at Tiger Woods, Jason Duffner and Davis Love III.

Rory McIlroy got the sky tweet treatment and the world number one beamed ‘That’s so cool’ when he saw the ‘Rory’s gonna getcha’ message. McIlroy was so chuffed with Paddy’s handiwork he’s now uploaded the footage to his official YouTube site.

Graeme McDowell tweeted Paddy on Monday saying that the sky tweet which included the names of all the European players and the great Seve Ballesteros was ‘legendary’.

RT @paddypower “Our Sky tweet of all 12 names in the sky/Seve as 13th man curb.sphericalimages.com/ryder-cup-2012“>>legendary stuff guys!!

— Graeme McDowell (@Graeme_McDowell) October 1, 2012

And Luke Donald’s wife Diane spotted our ‘Luuuuuuke’ tweet above the 12th hole as Donald led the singles and started the momentum for the comeback.

This was so cool, 12th hole. #RyderCup “Luuuuuke” twitter.com/DianeDonald/st…

— Diane Donald (@DianeDonald) September 30, 2012

The computer controlled messages spanned over five miles wide and could be seen for a staggering 20 miles. Each letter was more than 200 foot bigger than the Shard skyscraper in London and each message took 90 seconds to create.

The computer-controlled tweets were delivered by five stunt planes flying in formation wing to wing and spelling out each character of the message with a vapour trail that is turned on and off as letters are built.

Click here for an incredible 360 degree image of the Paddy Power Ryder Cup tweets above the Medinah County Club

• The best tweets from Paddy Power’s Ryder Cup 2012 sky writing
• 10 of Paddy Power’s greatest controversies

OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN: Paul McGinley with Hollywood legend Michael Douglas  (pic:Inpho)

Sean Goff | Sports Reporter

The dust has settled on the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ when the Europeans came from 10-4 down at one stage  to record a staggering 14.5 to 13.5 win.

Europe are already 4/5 favourites to defend their title at Gleneagles in 2014 after dedicating their heroic win to the legendary Seve Ballesteros.

And Paddy Power make Ireland’s Paul McGinley and two-time Ryder Cup vice captain the 5/6 favourite to take over the hot seat in Paddy Power’s online betting with Freddie Couples heading the American list at 11/8.

The Chicago Tribune thundered that the defeat on home soil was ‘inexcusable’ and Phil Mickelson had to leap to the defence of US captain Davis Love III at a post-match press conference.

But it wasn’t all sweetness and light in Team Europe as Graeme McDowell revealed that captain Jose Maria Olazabal had given his side the Alex Ferguson ‘hairdryer’ treatment on Saturday night after his side had gifted the Americans a 10-6 lead heading into Sunday’s final day singles’ contest.

Martin Kaymer’s putt saw the visitors complete a comeback not seen since the Americans beat a Mark James’ led European side at Brookline in 1999 – but it was Olazabal front-loading his singles’ selection that gave Europe the momentum early doors on Sunday.

This is indescribable. I was so nervous in the last two or three holes. Now I know how it really feels to win the Ryder Cup.

Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Paul Lawrie, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood brought home seven points for Europe before Kaymer sealed the deal and Francesco Molinari ensured the European win by halving his game with Tiger Woods.

But the final word on an epic weekend went to Jose Maria Olazabal who paid tribute to his now deceased best friend who he won 11 and halved two of their 15 matches as a pair in the Ryder Cup.

Seve (Ballesteros) will always be present with this team. He was a big factor for this event, for the European side, and last night when we were having that meeting, I think the boys understood that believing was the most important thing, and I think they did.

• Betting: Ryder Cup 2014
• Betting: Golf coupon 

Martin Kaymer celebrates holing the putt that ensured Europe retained the Ryder Cup, on Sunday night. Nerves of steel, pal.

1. If only the rest of Team Europe could match Ian Poulter’s intensity. Here’s Poults’ crazy eyes celebration at the 16th on Saturday at Medinah. Love this guy.

2. This GIF shows what happened after Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley won their foursome on Friday. Bradley’s caddie Steve Hale waves the flagstick like a lunatic in one of the best golf celebrations you’re likely to see. If you’re American. To us, it just looks a bit like a Star Wars lightsabre fail.

3. We like Big Phil. He likes Keegan Bradley. What’s not to like?

4. It looks like Justin Rose is saying: ‘All right, yeah!’ But really it’s the finger-snapping that steals the show here. Lame by football standards, but a good golf celebration.

5. Via the good folk at Balls.ie, here’s that glorious Rory McIlroy shot on the fourth hole on Friday. World No1 McIlroy and Graeme McDowell were on fire.

6. The buddies from Northern Ireland threw in these nice football-style celebrations too.

7. Here’s Rory McIlroy in a fatsuit. It’s Jason Dufner (hell of a player, mind) with the fastest fist-pump in history, on Saturday at Medinah.

8. Meanwhile, here’s Tiger Woods giving his Friday playing partner Steve Sticker what’s known as the ‘stink eye’. Bad form, Tiger (as you proved).

Golf

What an incredible night! Europe came from 10-6 down on Saturday night to beat the American’s 14 1/2 – 13 1/2 and retain the Ryder Cup at the Medinah County Club. The Europeans won eight and halved one of the 12 singles matches on Sunday to seal one of the greatest fight-backs in the tournament’s history. Paddy Power and our punters should be taking some of the credit because without our five-mile long sky tweets encouraging the team and baiting the Yanks it probably would have had a different ending.

• The best of Sunday’s sky tweets
• The best of Saturday’s sky tweets
• The best Ryder Cup GIFs
• Rory McIlroy reacts to our sky tweets!

Football

Chelsea remain unbeaten and top of the Premier League after beating Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates. The blues are now 10/3 for the title after a strong start to the season. Manchester United are the 13/8 favourites despite dropping points at home. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side went down 3-2 to Tottenham as Spurs won at Old Trafford for the first time in 23 years. Everton and Liverpool both won convincingly with the Toffees beating Southampton 3-1 and the reds beating Norwich 5-2 thanks to a Luis Suarez hat-trick.

Manchester City are 2/1 to retain their crown and left it late to beat Fulham 2-1. Elsewhere there were wins for Stoke and Sunderland over Swansea and Wigan respectively and a late Demba Ba goal gave Newcastle a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw with Reading. The Sunday game between Aston Villa and West Brom finished 1-1 after Darren Bent came off the bench to equalise.

Tonight QPR face West Ham at home with Rangers the 23/20 favourites for the clash. Big Sam’s Hammers are 5/2 for the win that could take them into the top five. It’s 9/4 that the game finishes all square.

• Betting: Premier League outright
• Betting: QPR v West Ham

Cricket

The Twenty20 World Cup continues in Sri Lanka and the three lions are back in action against the hosts this afternoon.

Sri Lanka are the 4/6 favourites for the clash with England at 13/10 in the betting. Before that game New Zealand face the West Indies with both teams looking for the win needed to ensure qualification. West Indies are the 4/7 favourites with New Zealand priced at 6/4.

Australia are the 9/4 favourites to lift the title ahead of Sri Lanka who are 3/1. The three lions are an appealing 8/1 if you fancy them to retain their title.

• Betting: Sri Lanka v England
• Betting: New Zealand v West Indies
• Betting: World Cup outright

Racing

Some good racing has survived today despite the weather and there are cards at Bath, Newton Abbot and Roscommon. Unfortunately the racing at Hamilton Park has had to be abandoned.

The Sun’s top tipster Templegate has a double he likes the look of at Bath with Keep a Stiff Upper Lip in the 2.20pm and The Giving Tree in the 3.50pm.

‘Keep a Stiff Upper Lip is a pound better off in the weights with Felix Fabulla, who he chased home over course and distance earlier this month. But more importantly he bolted up on the all-weather last time and he looks to be improving’, says the tipster.

‘The Giving Tree should live up to her name. She showed she is returning to form with an eye-catching run at Sandown. The return to this longer distance on easier ground will suit’.

• Betting: All Monday’s cards, form and odds

The Northern Irishman got his Eastern time and Central time confused at the Medinah County Club and arrived no more than ten minutes before he was due off. Rory only had time to roll in a couple of putts before he had to send his first drive down the first fairway.

European captain Jose Maria Olazabal told the Golf Channel his heart was racing when he discovered McIlroy’s absence. 

‘We did not have that in mind,’ said the Spaniard. ‘All of a sudden we realised Rory was not here and started to look for him. Finally we got hold of him and he came in with a police escort with 10 or 11 minutes to go.’

Paul Hayward, the chief sports writer at the Daily Telegraph reported on some of the entertaining scenes that followed at the Medinah County Club.

Fans chanting “central time zone” at McIlroy, who spreads his arms.

— Paul Hayward (@_PaulHayward) September 30, 2012

The European team started the day 10-6 behind and if they are to win the Ryder Cup it will be one of the best comebacks in the history of the competition.

• Betting: Ryder Cup outright

Jason Dufner, for one, can’t wait for the singles today at Medinah.

(We love a bit of the Truffle Shuffle)

CHICAGO BLUES: Politician Peter Roskam wants Paddy’s pilots arrested

A furious political battle has raged behind the scenes as sports fans lapped up three glorious days of golf highlighted by heavenly sky tweeting from Paddy Power.

Illinois Congressman Peter Roskam went on a one-man crusade to bring an immediate end to Paddy Power’s Ryder Cup sky writing initiative.

Roskam, a member of the Republican Party, threatened legal action on Sunday to prevent Paddy Power continuing the sky tweets today – going as far as to suggest that the pilots themselves may be arrested.

Paddy Power took to the clouds above the Medinah Country Club on Saturday to deliver the world’s first ‘sky tweet’ campaign in support of Team Europe at the tournament. We relayed a series of cheeky messages including ‘God wants Europe to win’, ‘Do it for Seve’ and ‘Anyone seen Tiger?‘

In response, congressman Roskam’s secretary contacted a regional airport stating that our pilots would be met by the local authorities should they fly again.

Subsequently, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) stated they received a complaint regarding offensive sky-writing from an unspecified congressman and that a congressional inquiry would be started.  However, all that has been levelled at the pilots so far is a paperwork technicality as a thin reason as to why the planes may be stopped from delivering messages over Medinah today.

But at 4pm on Sunday, Paddy Power got the all-clear to take to the skies again.

Roskam’s actions were at odds with Team USA captain Davis Love III who commented last night:

Hey, it’s working good for us; we keep winning holes. I’m just disappointed that they stopped, because if they’d have kept doing it all afternoon, maybe our roll would have kept going

Millions of Ryder Cup viewers enjoyed clips of the witty sky-writing at regular intervals of Saturday’s television coverage – with the campaign trending on Twitter for most of the day. Paddy Power’s twitter feed (@paddypower) called on European supporters to submit messages with the hashtag ‘#GoEurope’, a selection of which were ‘sky-written’ by stunt pilots flying at 10,000ft in the world’s first Twitter campaign of its kind.

Paddy Power will continue the sky-writing campaign for Sunday’s final day of play. Paddy received over 2000 messages yesterday in response to the call-out for supportive tweets. Paddy Power said: ‘The congressman seems be to suffering from an incredible sense of humour failure.  Maybe he got a knock on the head from one of Tiger’s wayward golf balls yesterday!”

Related links

• Best pictures from Paddy’s sky tweets over Medinah
• Betting: Ryder Cup

FOR SEVE: The Paddy Power planes take to the skies just after 1.30pm #GOEUROPE

The Paddy Power Blog brings you live text commentary from all the action at Medinah in the 2012 Ryder Cup including our sky tweets stunt! We’re also bring you updates from all the Premier League games this afternoon! #GOEUROPE

UPDATE: Collection of Paddy Power’s best Ryder Cup Sky Tweets here.

Ryder Cup 2012

USA 8-4 Europe

Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson v Justin Rose and Ian Poulter - Rose/Poulter win 1 up
Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson v Lee Westwood and Luke Donald – Bradley/Mickelson win 7 and 6
Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson v Sergio Garcia and Nicolas Colsaerts – Dufner/Johnson win 2 and 1
Brandt Snedeker and Jim Furyk v Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy - Furyk/Snedeker win 1 up

Premier League

12.45pm FT Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea – Gervinho 42 - Torres 20, Mata 53,
3.00pm  FT Everton 3-1 Southampton - Osman 25, Jelavic 32, 38 – Ramirez 6
3.00pm FT Fulham 1-2 Manchester City - Petric (pen) 10 – Aguero 43, Dzeko 87
3.00pm FT Norwich 1-5 Liverpool - Suarez 2, 37, 55, Sahin 47, Gerrard 68 – Morison 60, Holt 87
3.00pm FTReading 2-2 Newcastle - Kebe 58, Hunt 62 – Ba 59, 83
3.00pm FT Stoke 2-0 Swansea - Crouch 12, 36
3.00pm FT Sunderland 1-0 Wigan - Fletcher 51,
5.30pm Manchester United 0-2 Tottenham - Vertonghen 2, Bale 32

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

6.19pm: That’s it. It’s all over. After the foursomes on day two USA lead 8-4. Ian Poulter and Justin Rose the only pair to win this afternoon. Not a great afternoon for Europe but they’re still in with a chance #GOEUROPE

6.17pm: McIlroy was close but it’s not close enough to drop. The Americans can two putt this to win and Snedeker is about to step up.

6.14pm: Ah it’s not good enough from McDowell. If Rory McIlroy makes this putt it will be the shot of the tournament.

6.11pm: A cracking shot from Furyk to make the green and Europe will have to make three here to win the hole. McDowell has to give Rory a chance with this approach.

6.08pm: McIlroy is in a considerably better position on the final hole here with Furyk having to play this second shot out of the sand. This is an incredibly important hole.

6.04pm: He’s missed. Not by much but it means that they can’t win the match. McIlroy and McDowell need to win the 18th to take a crucial half point.

6.02pm: Snedeker doesn’t make the putt and now McIlroy can send them to the final hole all square.

5.57pm: A great tee shot from McDowell and the pressure is well and truly on the Americans now. It’s a good shot but not as good and McIlroy has the chance to heap the pressure on if he makes this put for a birdie.

5.53pm: It’s another point for the USA as Dufner and Johnson beat Sergio Garcia and Nicolas Colsaerts but McIlroy and McDowell are back to within one point with two to play. McDowell will have to make sure he doesn’t make the same mistake Colsaerts did.

5.49pm: Disaster. After reducing the lead to one Colsaerts puts his tee shot into the water on the 17th. A nightmare for the European team.

5.46pm: BOOM! An incredible putt from Sergio Garcia and there is a huge fist pump on one knee. This is far from over! #GOEUROPE

5.40pm: McDowell has a chance to close to within one but he isn’t even close. Three holes remaining and the Americans are two ahead.

5.37pm: The score is 6-4 to the Americans overall but there are still two games in action here. What can the lads out on the course do to change that score on the final few holes?

5.35pm: He misses! #GOEUROPE

5.35pm: An incredible shot by Rose and he comes so close to winning the hole. At worst he has a half point. Webb Simpson now has the chance to halve the match. If he misses Europe win.

5.33pm: Colsaerts has come so close there to winning that hole but he can’t find yesterday’s form and the hole is halved.

5.27pm: Furyk holds his nerve to halve the hole. McIlroy and McDowell are two down with four to play. On the final hole Bubba Watson has hit an incredible second shot right at the pin under huge pressure. Can Poulter respond? #GOEUROPE

5.25pm: Europe are starting to play really well now. Sergio Garcia on the fifteenth and Rory McIlroy on the fourteenth both with excellent approach shots.

5.22pm: Simpson hits a cracking tee shot straight down the fairway. Justin Rose also cracks a belting shot off the tee but it takes a wicked bounce and has ended up in the rough. How is your bottle? #GOEUROPE

5.20pm: Dufner and Johnson move on to the fifteenth with a two shot lead. Pressure is on Sergio Garcia and Nicolas Colsaerts now. Ian Poulter and Justin Rose are heading to the final tee with a one shot lead #GOEUROPE

5.09pm: He’s missed it. The lead is only one point now.

5.08pm: Justin Rose has the chance to save it here and half the hole. This has to go in.

5.05pm: Rose and Poulter are in danger of throwing away a shot here. Rose doesn’t make the green and Poulter rolls it pretty close to the flag but the advantage is with Bubba and Simpson.

5.01pm: Rory comes close to a birdie but as they leave the thirteenth Snedeker and Furyk are still 2 up.

4.55pm: America are still leading and team Europe are running out of holes to change things here. The next few holes could be pivotal in deciding where the Ryder Cup heads this year #GOEUROPE 

4.42pm: And there it is. Some cracking work by the American team on the tricky twelve and now the scoreboard is looking dangerously red in colour.

4.37pm: Don’t look now but Colsaerts and Garcia are in a bit of trouble on the twelve hole. It’s a very difficult pin and Johnson and Dufner have the advantage now as they look to take the lead.

4.30pm: Phil Mickelson is really happy with the way Keegan Bradley has played over the first two days at the Medinah.

4.28pm: Watson really puts some whack behind those shots, he covers some incredible distance but he’s in the sand and it’s a 30+ yard bunker shot for Simpson. Can Poulter and Rose take advantage?

4.20pm: Here come Europe! Colsearts with a cracking putt to level up that match after the eleventh hole and the momentum is swinging. Europe could win the other three games here #GOEUROPE

4.18pm: Nightmare for Donald and Westwood and that match is over. An incredible performance from the American pair of Bradley and Mickelson. Bradley/Mickelson win 7 and 6.

4.08pm: How do you spell USA? @joshadams75 has spotted some more fine work from our Paddy Power planes! #GOEUROPE

4.06pm: BOOM! What a recovery from Poulter. A stunning put from the edge of the green to go two up. Suck on that Uncle Sam #GOEUROPE

4.03pm: Well it’s not in the water! Just. Rose plays out of the hazard and gets it to the edge of the green. It’s a good recovery but will it be enough? It could be. Webb Simpson makes an error but Bubba chips up to the flag very nicely. It could still go either well on that hole. #GOEUROPE

3.59pm: Bubba Watson is in trouble but manages to get his second shot out of some rough. Poulter has a great chance to take advantage but it looks like he’s put it into the water! An awful shot.

3.55pm: He misses! Donald and Westwood are still six down with seven to play.

3.54pm: It’s just not happening for Westwood and Donald and now after some great play from Mickelson, Bradley has the chance to win the eleventh with a birdie…

3.48pm: Colsaerts has found his putting form from yesterday but Dufner matches him and the ninth is halved. That could have gone either way and Colsaerts and Sergio Garcia will be heading to the tenth with a bit more confidence after that hole.

3.45pm: Tough putt coming up for Ian Poulter to half the eleventh hole. It’s there. Cue a massive double-fist pump from Poulter. Straight down the middle, didn’t touch the edges. Great putt.

3.43pm: Some incredible golf from Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson. Despite the best efforts of Westwood and Donald the American pair are now six up.

3.41pm: Rose puts a delightful approach shot a few yards away from the pin. Team Europe are starting to move through the gears now after a blinding start by the American lads.

3.37pm: There’s some blue on the leaderboard! Poulter and Rose are one up through 10. #GOEUROPE

3.35pm: This is when the European team need your help! Get your messages of support in for the boys and we’ll write the best ones in the sky! #GOEUROPE

twitvid.com/O2VO0 – Message in the sky for Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup!

— Stephen Watson (@winkerwatson1) September 29, 2012

3.27pm: Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley are in inspired form and they go five up after the front nine.

3.24pm: Luke Donald misses the chance for a birdie and it’s not quite happening for the Donald/Westwood combination.

3.18pm: BOOM! Great putt from Poulter and it’s all square in match one after the front nine #GOEUROPE

3.12pm: The Paddy Power planes are at it again with their sky tweets! Tiger loves a bit of rough #GOEUROPE

3.10pm: Huge putt from Snedeker on the fifth and McIlroy and McDowell are two down.

3.07pm: Rose misses a putt for par but fortunately, from a similar range, Simpson also misses the cup. #GOEUROPE

3.05pm: Mickelson holes it and this is getting worse for Westwood and Donald. The Americans go four up.

3.01pm: All the 3.00pm games have kicked off in the Premier League. Europe are struggling and that leader board is all red. Mickelson has a great chance to put himself and Bradley four up through seven.

2.56pm: We might be losing but at least our team has better hair! #GOEUROPE

2.54pm: Solid putt from McDowell to half the fourth. This is a scrap now for the European team. Don’t let the American side gain any more momentum.

2.52pm: Bad news for Poulter who ends up in the bunker to plenty of whoops and jeers from the American crowd. Poor form from the Yanks. #GOEUROPE

2.47pm: Luke Donald and Lee Westwood scrapping away but they are really struggling to keep up. Bradley/Mickelson 3 up

2.42pm: It’s all over at the Emirates and a huge three points for Chelsea who win 2-1! A massive result for the blues who stay top of the table.

2.40pm: Poor from Europe. Garcia has a chip to win the hole but it is far too short. Colsearts then misses a straightforward putt and Dufner and Johnson go 2 up.

2.37pm: Some great work from Poulter and Rose to make sure the 6th hole is halved #GOEUROPE

2.35pm: The American team should be getting worried now McIlroy has got himself warmed up. Rory’s gonna getcha! #GOEUROPE

2.33pm: Team Europe are loving our sky tweets but they need to up their game! #GOEUROPE

2.31pm: Poulter and Rose are under pressure and struggling. Bubba Watson’s drives are ridiculously long.

2.26pm: After Rory’s tee shot McDowell misses the birdie putt but thankfully Jim Furyk pops up with one of the worst putts you’ll see this weekend in response. We got away with one there and the hole is halved.

2.24pm: Watson and Simpson two-putt on the sixth and now Europe are behind in all four games. They need our support! #GOEUROPE

2.23pm: Snedeker is not far away from a hole in one on the second and McIlroy responds with a brilliant shot of his own.

2.15pm: Mickelson was millimetres away from a 15 foot birdie putt to go three up but Europe survive. Luke Donald holds his nerve to get the halve.

2.08pm: Dufner knocks in a birdie on the second after a great tee shot from Johnson and they go ahead. Dufner/Johnson 1 up.

2.05pm: Come on G-MAC! The final match has teed off and McDowell is in the bunker but the lie doesn’t look too bad for when Rory steps up. Jim Furyk has tonked one down the fairway.

2.02pm: Jose looked on in admiration for our Seve tribute but he has no idea who it was writing messages in the sky. Rory McIlroy had a good old giggle at our ‘Has anyone seen Tiger?’ sky tweet! #GOEUROPE

2.00pm: Here comes Rory and G-Mac towards the first tee. Business is about to pick up! #GOEUROPE

1.57pm: GOAL! Mata scores and Chelsea lead 2-1!

1.55pm: Some good work by Watson and Simpson and they level the match on the third hole. Poulter missed a 12 foot putt for the halve.

1.53pm: Rory McIlroy is having a good laugh at our Paddy Power sky tweets! Rory’s gonna getcha. Has anyone seen Tiger? #GOEUROPE

1.52pm: Colsaerts on the first hits a belting drive down the fairway in match three before Dufner pings one down a bit further. Things are heating up in Medinah!

1.50pm: Rory’s gonna getcha! #GOEUROPE

1.47pm: Westwood has put it into the drink on the second after a good tee shot from Mickelson. Not a great start for Westwood and Donald.

1.45pm: Paddy Power have got the Americans worried! Bubba Watson misses a put to square up the match on the second and as they make their way to the third Poulter/Rose are still 1 up.

1.42pm: Mickelson and Bradley picking up where they left off yesterday with some lovely work on the first. Pressure is on Luke Donald who wasn’t far away with his birdie put but it’s advantage USA. Bradley/Mickelson 1 up. 

1.38pm: Tribute to Seve from Paddy Power

Awesome tribute in the sky above Medinah #RyderCup #For Seve instagr.am/p/QKLzO2yHH0/

— Ryder Cup Team EUR (@RyderCupTeamEUR) September 29, 2012

1.34pm: A cracking second shot from Justin Rose sets up Poulter for the birdie and it is followed with a fist pump and a huge ‘Come On!’. Poulter/Rose 1 up! #GOEUROPE

1.31pm: The first of our sky tweets has landed! Do it for Seve #GOEUROPE

1.27pm: GOAL! Gervinho swivels and hits a cracking volley past a helpless Cech. 1-1 at the Emirates!

1.25pm: There is a belting atmosphere on the first tee and Ian Poulter gees up the European support and conducts a brilliant ‘Ole Ole Ole’ chant. The Americans respond with some out-of-time USA chant. Unfortunately Poulter then pings the ball into the bunker. Bubba Watson steps up and knocks one a touch further into the rough but both should be just fine from there. It’s an electric atmosphere in Chicago and Europe lead 1-0 on chants.

1.17pm: The Paddy Power planes are in the skies and we are just minutes away from the start of day two at Medinah! #GOEUROPE

1.12pm: GOAL! Chelsea have taken the lead after a lovely finish from Fernando Torres. The Spaniard hooks his foot around Vermaelen to volley a free kick in to the back of the net. He then reverts back to his usual self and bottles a one-on-one about three minutes later. Chelsea well on top.

1.03pm: Just under 20 minutes away from the start of day two of the Ryder Cup at the Medinah Club in Illinois where USA lead Europe 5-3. Meanwhile we’re over 15 minutes into the London derby at the Emirates where Arsenal host Chelsea and it is still 0-0.

Brace yourselves. This is going to be an incredible afternoon of sport! #GOEUROPE

This is the moment early on Saturday in Chicago when golf stars Rory McIlroy and playing partner Graeme McDowell were alerted by Darren Clarke to Paddy Power’s Ryder Cup stunt.

Over Medinah, Paddy’s planes tweeted ‘Do it for Seve’ and ‘Rory’s Gonna Getcha’ — which left Rory beaming: “That’s so cool.”

Keep your eyes peeled to @paddypower with the #GoEurope hashtag, and check out the best pictures from early on Saturday here.

This reminded us of Ryder Cup golfers – gentlemen famous for wearing bad slacks with dodgy shirts and terrible haircuts.

We wondered what Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Brandt Snedeker, Steve Stricker, and Bubba Watson would look like if we stuck their man-heads on child-bodies. Throw in 80s-style backgrounds, child haircuts and family photo horror styling and – boom – it’s a freaky golfer slideshow. Although, with the Yanks especially, we’re struggling to tell the difference.

Anyway, enjoy.

You’ve seen the photo. You’ve probably got it on your bedroom wall, or on your desk at work. Not Big Sam and Sir Alex sitting resplendently, together, in a golf cart.

Sitting. Smiling. Bonding. Caring for each other silently. Having more bloody fun than an unemployed dreamer hitting a hot streak on a fruit machine.

The photograph is every inch the portrait of the modern-day man about town. But two of them.

Sir Alex Ferguson looking like a vintage MI6 commander, his gorgeous, two-toned sweater & polo-neck combo betraying his legendary grasp of understated style. Not Big Sam positioned at his side, a smile as adorable as a little crescent moon. A hairstyle that looks a little like a wig, but it isn’t, okay?

Sir Alex at the wheel (isn’t he bloody always), Not Big Sam his able lieutenant; navigating, cajoling, adoring. It’s one of my favourite ever images, and instantly conjures up feelings of happiness and pride, leaving me giggling like a dim-witted child at a rainbow.

“Where are you going with this, you fat, Hovis-headed ballbag?” I can hear you roar, impudently.

Golf: a triumph of tenderness over brutality

Well, the photograph isn’t just a representation of two total besties in the prime of their life, having a blast on an electrically-propelled vehicle. It’s also a perfect depiction of the ancient game of golf, and everything it stands for. The camaraderie. The notion of competitive brotherhood. The fact caddies have to obey your every demand, no matter how many fingers are involved.

Golf is the triumph of tenderness and valour, over brutality and ignorance. I zoomed about the course that day with Sir Alex, my head cocked backwards, the air thick with my laughter. I can still hear those mellifluous sounds in my ears when I close my eyes; the thwack of graphite on plastic, the sweet song of the skylark high above in the trees, the thunderous anger in Sir Alex’s voice as he was on the phone to Halfords. These sounds transport me immediately to a warm, welcoming place where everyone is equal (well, as long as you’re white and male), and spite and vulgarity are left in the clubhouse.

A beautiful John Denver song forever ruined

Compare these honeyed tones with the repugnant cacophony of aural pollution one often endures at football games. I once took a team to Sunderland and was subjected to a torrent of abuse from one phlegm-soaked troglodyte sat behind me. His most vile moment, however, wasn’t an off-the-cuff outburst. It wasn’t when he called me ‘spunky-chops’, or when he threw a strawberry Pop Tart at my head. No, it was when he took something beautiful and ruined it forever. At around the 60-minute mark he decided to take one of my favourite songs ever – John Denver’s gorgeously evocative Annie’s Song – and turn it into something putrid.

For reasons known only to himself, he completely altered the lyrics to the song, turning a sweet ode to Denver’s then-wife, into a squalid tale centred on Not Big Sam, a chair leg slathered in Lurpak, and the most barbaric and graphic rendering of onanism I’ve ever heard.

ROCKY TERRITORY: John Denver, with an eagle. His classic was ruined by one sick football fan

I’ve genuinely never been as hurt, repulsed or offended in my life. I won’t regale you with his filthy wordsmithery but needless to say, it was grotesque. Even for the North East. I turned around to protest at the slob, to be met with the sight of his snide, grinning face, as he motioned downwards with his vicious eyes. To my horror, I looked down and saw he had his, admittedly staggering, phallus in one hand, and was stroking it with the other. Like an evil genius stroking an arrogant cat. I looked away desolately, a solitary tear streaming down my face, and a little bit of my soul collapsing into dust.

Praise for the Ryder Cup

A golf course will always be a place of respite for me. A place of relaxation, harmony and trust. This is why, when I tune into the Ryder Cup this weekend, I won’t be so doing simply to watch some cocky Americans getting destroyed, or to laugh at Brandt Snedeker’s face. I’ll be watching to remind myself there is a world where style is appreciated. Where craftsmanship is heralded. Where being big-boned is embraced.

A golf course is a venue of hope. A stretch of grass and sand, where a humble man made out of flesh and bone and grit, can sit in an electric cart with a Scottish Knight and feel he truly belongs there. You won’t get that feeling in Sunderland.

• Betting: Ryder Cup
• More Not Big Sam columns for Paddy Power

Not Big Sam is a parody account on Twitter which can be found here. It is in no way related to Sam Neill, Sam Adams, Sam Allardyce or Sam Fox.

1. Paddy Power’s pilots take to the sky above the Medinah County Club

Five Paddy Power planes took to the skies in formation above the Medinah County Club emitting vaporised smoke at 10,000 feet to create the five-mile long sky tweets. The writing in the sky could be seen for more than 20 miles and gave our lads plenty of encouragement as well as poking fun at Tiger Woods.

2. Do it for Seve #GoEurope – this sky tweet made TV worldwide

In a tribute to the great Seve Ballisteros, the Paddy Power messages in the sky encouraged the team to ‘Do it for Seve #GoEurope’. Ballesteros and the European captain Jose Maria Olazabal won an incredible 12 points from their 15 matches together in the Ryder Cup. You can see the sky writing clearly behind Justin Rose and his caddie as they walk the second hole (below).

Justin Rose and his caddie Mark Fulcher make their way across the second hole. Pic: Getty Images

3. Rory’s gonna getcha gets McIlroy thumbs-up

The planes wrote plenty of encouraging sky messages for world number one Rory McIlroy as Europe tried to get back on track after a disappointing opening day of the tournament where they finished 5-3 behind to the Americans. McIlroy was clearly impressed with our ‘Rory’s gonna getcha’ sky tweet beaming: ‘That’s so cool’.

4. Anyone seen Tiger?

The messages in the sky also taunted Tiger Woods with tweets such as ‘Team Nordergren’, ‘Tiger loves a bit of rough’ and ‘Has anyone seen Tiger’ in reference to the fact he was axed from Saturday’s foursomes. Davis Love III was reportedly furious with the planes but that didn’t stop them mocking the Americans.

‘How do you spell USA’ mocking the Americans’ boring rendition of U-S-A, ‘You can keep Piers Morgan’ and ‘Europe has better hair’ were all seen in the Chicago sky as the Paddy Power planes created more sky tweets with each character a whopping 200 foot taller than the newly-installed Shard skyscraper in London.

It didn’t inspire the Europeans quite as much as we hoped on Saturday and as the second day came to a close the Americans had a clear advantage, 10-6 in front. Luckily we were able to let the team know that although we are getting beaten we can still make a come-back.

One of Europe’s form men from the opening two days, Ian Poulter felt the presence of Seve yesterday and wrote on Twitter that this could be one of the greatest ever Ryder Cup fight-backs — which led to dramatic scenes on Sunday night as Europe clenched an incredible victory.

Seve was watching over us this afternoon & I feel it could be the biggest comeback Europe have ever had. We have nothing to lose. Give 100%

— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) September 30, 2012

How did Paddy Power make the sky tweets? Like this…

The computer-controlled messages are delivered by five stunt planes flying in formation wing to wing and spelling out each character of the message with a vapour trail that is turned on and off as letters are built.  Computerised output controls the messages in the same way an ink jet printer forms its letters. Each message took around 90 seconds to form and spanned over 5 miles wide.

Click here for an incredible 360 degree image of the Paddy Power Ryder Cup tweets above the Medinah County Club

Don’t forget if your selection leads through twelve holes but fails to win Paddy Power will refund your losing win stake on that match. (And keep your eyes peeled all weekend for more mischief.

• Betting: Ryder Cup outright