Despite being in "caddy mode" while visiting and caddying for Anya in Florida, I am, as every two years, pretty much in "Ryder Cup Mode".
With the FedEx Cup over, the last major 45 days behind and a whole new way to gain points for FedEx, Ryder Cup and President's Cup, all we should focus is on the American team and how they will win...
If you take the results of the Ryder Cup alone, Europe should be the favorite... on paper that is:
- Europe has won or retained the Ryder Cup six of the last eight years
- Europe has two rookies while the USA has four rookies in this cup
- The players in the European team have accumulated a Ryder Cup record of 77-39-21 (wins, loses, ties) in the biennial matches, while the U.S. players playing this cup have accumulated a record of 50-71-21. That is a 35.2% of possible points for the Americans, while the Europeans have a 56.2% of possible points won.
- Davis Love III, our captain has a Ryder Cup record of 9-12-5, against a very stellar record of Jose Maria Olazabal or 18-8-5.
- Europe has not lost the Cup as locals since... 1993! While the Europeans have won in three times in the United States during that period.
No question that the dynamics of the Ryder Cup, and particularly from the European team, have changed over the years. When Jose Maria arrived in Chicago on Sunday, he only arrived with 3 of his players... why? Because the rest of them were already in the United States! Five have homes in Florida, two more are about to bu a home in Florida, one, Luke Donald, has a home in Chicago (where the matches will be played), and the others not included here, had qualified for the FedEx Cup's Tour Championship played last week.
In addition, Europe has the #1 ranked player in the world (Rory McIlroy), along with nos. 3 (Luke Donald),4 (Lee Westwood) and 5 (Justin Rose). While the U.S. has #2 (Tiger Woods), 7 (Bubba Watson), 8 (Webb Simpson), 9 (Jason Dufner) & 10 (Brandt Snedeker).
If you ask anyone who looks at these records, you'd say Olazabal and company will take the cup back in the 767 Boeing that will take some of the players back.
That said, I believe that the following is as important, or even more important. First, the Americans are taking the role of "underdogs" and have learned to play good without their best. Two years ago, they almost brought the cup back without their best guns, and without those who played, playing at their best. The Americans are beginning to believe in themselves and as a team as well.
Here are other factors that I am looking at, and see if you agree with me:
- Wins (worldwide): USA 262 Europe 185;
- Wins without their most prolific winner (Woods 100 and Westwood 31): USA 162, Europe: 154;
- Majors: USA 24; Europe 7
- Major wins without their most prolific winner (Woods 14, McIlroy 2): USA 10, Europe 5
- Wins in 2012: USA 15; Europe 14 (all of USA's have been on the deeper PGA Tour while most of the
European wins have been against fields of lower world rankings.
To end, we have Woods, they have McIlroy, and while McIlroy is very hot, he is no Woods by any means. He has already missed as many cuts in two years, as Woods missed in 15! Don't sell Woods short, he will be there, and you can count on him.... So will be Phil Mickelson who has a losing record in Ryder Cup. Both will be there to prove they are not done... and you know what? THEY AREN'T!