Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is to give Europe's Ryder Cup golfers a motivational talk.

The Scot was spotted at Gleneagles this morning ahead of the start of the competition on Friday and will speak at the team dinner.

Europe captain Paul McGinley says Ferguson has a lot to offer his team and explained his decision to ask Ferguson to impart his advice.

The European team during a huddle after the team photograph ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan

"I always loved how his teams played and there's a number of things that he's dealing with that he was particularly good at that I think he will be a strong fit. There's a lot of similarities and I've met him a number of times over the last few months and the more I met him, the more there was such a natural fit," said McGinley, who is a Celtic and West Ham fan.

At the last Ryder Cup in Medinah, Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola spoke to the team on the invitation of then captain Jose Maria Olazabal, while Welsh rugby great Gareth Edwards had the honour two years previously.