87 years after their crushing 9 ½ - 2 ½ victory in the first Ryder Cup, Team USA come up against an opposition which now includes the rest of Europe. One thing is (almost) for certain: the margin of victory will not be so comprehensive this time around.
A quick look at the competition’s recent history will tell you that Team Europe have been the dominant force, winning the trophy on 10 of the last 14 occasions, and 7 of the last 9. However, most of those victories have been by the narrowest margins, including the last two, in 2010 and 2012.
So, what can we expect this year?
The bookmakers make the Europeans slight favourites this time around, but it’d be a foolish man who writes off the USA. Go on, write them off. I dare you. At first glance, the bookies have good reason to favour the home side at Gleneagles, with 4 of the world’s top 6 ranked players playing in European blue. In addition, the USA have not won the cup in Europe since 1993, but they look well-equipped to end that sequence this time around.
‘Why is that?’ I hear you ask…
Well, although the Americans have only one player in the World’s top six, they do have eight players in the top twenty, compared to just six for the Europeans. Of those eight, six have Ryder Cup experience and will be desperate to erase memories of past failures.
Furthermore, the USA will be without Tiger Woods. You may say that is a major blow for the Americans but given that, at past Ryder Cups, Tiger often looked about as interested as Mario Balotelli in a training session, his absence may help his would-be-teammates. The USA team also has the potential to bring together some formidable partnerships, in particular Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley, who were almost unstoppable together in 2012.
As for Europe, they will be relying on moments of magic from World Number One Rory McIlroy and chest-pounding, loud-roaring, cool-putting Ian Poulter, so often a talisman in this event. Poulter’s record in the Ryder Cup is amazing, with 12 wins from just 15 matches, while at Medinah, Rory McIlroy won his singles match despite turning up ten minutes before his tee-time due to oversleeping (he says he misread the tee-times, but we all know he overslept, right?)
The last two Ryder Cups have gone Europe’s way by a score of 14 ½ - 13 ½ and I think this year’s competition could be just as close. If anything, I think the USA may just sneak it due to their determination to actually win one of these trophies for once, and the exciting young talent in their side. Look out for Ryder Cup debutants Jordan Spieth and Jimmy Walker, who are in excellent form and are unscarred by previous narrow losses.
In the Ryder Cup though, Europe often rise to the occasion and could prove me wrong this time around. I hope they do, my natural pessimism means that I love being wrong. If, as in 2012, Europe are powered by the ‘Spirit of Seve’, they could get on an unstoppable roll and sweep the USA aside once again.
One thing is for sure: this Ryder Cup has the potential to be an excruciating, terrifying, nervous rollercoaster ride. I can’t wait.
