40th Ryder Cup Preview

Guys like Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter are virtually unstoppable every two years when the Ryder Cup rolls around. Those two have a combined record of 28-11-4 in their 10 Ryder Cups.

The U.S. team has no one with a record like that, and that is one of the reasons the European team enters the week as the favorites.

Both European captain Paul McGinley and United States captain Tom Watson have three rookies on their teams. However, McGinley’s other nine players have all competed in at least three Ryder Cups.

The American team may have a better average world ranking than the Europeans, but the European team has a far better overall record.

After serving as vice-captain at the last two Ryder Cups, Thomas Bjorn played his way back onto the team thanks to a pair of wins in the last 12 months. Despite his resume, the Dane may not play more than two or three sessions, but he is like another vice-captain for McGinley to lean on.

The ‘unknowns’ for the European team are Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson and Stephen Gallacher.

Donaldson and Gallacher both have three European Tour wins to their credit, both have fared poorly in match play events. Though Gallacher’s uncle, Bernard, is a Ryder Cup legend for Europe, it is hard to see the younger Gallacher or Donaldson getting much playing time with a strong European team.

Dubuisson burst onto the scene when he had an epic battle with Jason Day at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. He fits the mold of a young Poulter. He will battle with everything he has.

Now to the heart of the European team.

This will be the eighth straight Ryder Cup that Garcia has been a part of. He failed to make the 2010 team, but served as a vice-captain. The Spaniard didn’t play well at the 2008 or 2012 Ryder Cups, but still has more wins in the event than any American.

Martin Kaymer won the U.S. Open in dominating fashion this year. He narrowly made the 2012 team, but clinched the winning point for the Europeans.

The Northern Ireland duo of Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy looks to be a natural pairing, but they are just 2-3-1 as a team and have had some off the course issues.

McIlroy won three straight events, including the last two majors, and will be tough to beat regardless of who he is paired with.

Poulter needed McGinley to select him with a captain’s pick, but when you are 12-3-0 as Poulter is at the Ryder Cup, it’s nearly impossible to leave you home.

Justin Rose has won three matches in each of the last two Ryder Cups.

Henrik Stenson is the lone European with a losing record. However, none of his former partners are on the team this week, so a new pairing could benefit him.

Lee Westwood garnered a captain’s pick too and his 18-13-6 Ryder Cup record had plenty to do with that.

While the Europeans have just one player with a losing record on their team, the flip side is that Americans have just four players with winning records.

The American rookies are Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth and Jimmy Walker. Reed won twice earlier this year and declared himself one of the best players in the world. This is a week he can prove that point.

Spieth had a great record as an amateur in match play, but that hasn’t carried over to his pro days. Walker won three times earlier this season, and is longer and steadier than most realize.

Keegan Bradley is the American Poulter – fiery, determined and tough. Bradley was 3-1 in his first Ryder Cup, all three wins coming when paired with Phil Mickelson.

Rickie Fowler was the lone player to finish in the top five at all four majors this year, but is still cutting his teeth in the Ryder Cup. He was winless in his debut, but rallied from a 4-down with four holes to go deficit in 2012 to halve Edoardo Molinari.

Jim Furyk and Mickelson are the veteran Americans. Both have losing records though. Furyk has had trouble closing out wins in singles matches the last few years.

Life was breathed into Mickelson when he was paired with Bradley in 2012. They are 5-1-1 at the Ryder and Presidents Cups combined. A big week would be a boost to Mickelson’s confidence after a tough year.

Zach Johnson is the quiet bulldog on the team. He was 3-1 at the 2012 Ryder Cup, including a 2-1 mark with Jason Dufner. Could be a good pairing with Walker this week with Dufner on the shelf due to injury.

Matt Kuchar was 2-0 with Dustin Johnson at the 2012 Ryder Cup, but Kuchar will also need a new partner with DJ out of action.

Hunter Mahan had a chance to be the hero in 2010. He was 1-down with three to go, but lost the 16th and conceded the 17th to give McDowell the match and the Cup back to the Europeans. Will that memory scar him this week?

The final two Americans, Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson, had two dominating wins in 2012. They make a good balance as the steady Simpson jells well with the big-hitting Watson. Watson has struggled overseas and needs to be on his best behavior and on his best form this week.

The European team is 37 matches over .500 (69-32-18), while the Americans team has a combined record that is nine matches under .500 (43-52-18).

Who cares that the Americans have a better average world ranking, those records speak volumes. And those records are helping captain Watson play the underdog card.

Adrenaline will be a big thing this week for a lot of the players. Many are playing for at least the eighth time in the last 11 weeks. Walker, for example, is competing for the 10th time in the last 12 weeks.

There could be some wayward shots later in matches with fatigue setting in. Which team is able to overcome that is likely the team that takes home the Cup this week at Gleneagles.

Based on their records and recent history at the Ryder Cup, it’s hard not to like the Europeans to retain the Cup.

Categorized in: PGA