The Ryder Cup, one of the world’s biggest sporting events, has teed off outside Paris with golfers vowing to keep politics off the fairways.

The tournament, which pits the top US golfers against a united European team, comes as the UK prepares its departure from the EU and Brussels’ relationship with the golf-loving, isolationist US president, Donald Trump, is strained.

The transatlantic golf showdownis the third most-watched sporting event in the world after the Olympics and the football World Cup.

The European team captain, Denmark’s Thomas Bjørn, said before the tournament opened that his players were an example of how the continent “stands as one”. Six UK players are in the team, including Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy.

“This is the one time when Europe is united,” Bjørn said. “This is the week more than ever that [European] flag represents the boundary of this great continent.”

Bjørn avoided name-checking Brexit, as did other players. England’s Paul Casey, when asked whether the unity of the European fans was heartening at such a tumultuous time for Britain, said: “I haven’t even thought about it. Hopefully I’ve got some matches to play the next couple of days.”

With the added interest of Tiger Woods returning to the tournament, most fans were focusing on sport, not global affairs. Many were in stars-and-stripe outfits or wrapped in blue and gold European flags.

Of the 51,000 supporters expected each day at the three-day event, at least a third will be British. Some of the British fans on Friday were proudly waving European flags, wearing European caps and saying it was a good excuse to get away from Brexit politics.

Donna Capindale, an IT worker from Camberley and a Ryder Cup regular, was wearing matching union jack trousers and a flat cap, teamed with an EU T-shirt. “Britain is still part of Europe, whatever happens,” she said. “I liked Thomas Bjørn’s opening speech saying that we’re united and we’re all in this together. It’s good to bring Europeans together, and it’s a shame if we become divided.”

Several US fans said sport was a form of escapism from Washington politics. “It’s all very friendly, there was a tiny bit of booing here and there but nothing more than usual,” said Tim, 35, a wealth fund manager from Minneapolis who was dressed in a stars-and-stripes suit and tie. “Sport is best kept separate from politics.”