Paper doesn’t go very far at the Ryder Cup.
The paper says the United States’ team has four players ranked in the world’s top 10 and eight in the top 20. The Europeans, meanwhile, have only one player in the top 10 and four in the top 20. It has four players ranked 60th and below.
The paper says the U.S. has four players who have won majors. Nobody on the European team has captured a major title. Heck, the Europeans have eight players who didn’t even qualify for all of the season’s four majors.
On paper, it should add up to a U.S. rout at Oakland Hills this weekend. A Stars and Stripes pasting on the fairways.
But when it comes to paper at the Ryder Cup, it is worth as much as the monetary award for winning: nothing.
At this event, the Americans come in with the rankings, and the Europeans walk out with the Ryder Cup. The Europeans have won three of the last four of these intercontinental tussles. Only an epic rally by the U.S. at Brookline in 1999 prevented a four-Cup run.
So who’s the underdog this week? The Europeans, despite their history, are claiming the label again.
“I think the whole basis of world golf now is on the world rankings,” Colin Montgomerie said. “If you add up those world rankings, we are heavily, heavily the underdog again.”
The U.S. isn’t buying that.
“I don’t consider and have not considered the European side to be underdogs,” Phil Mickelson said. “They bring their best game out.”
Indeed, the Europeans often rise to the occasion during the Ryder Cup, while the Americans fall flat. Often, it has seemed like the overachievers vs. the underachievers.
“Everyone always speculates as to why the Europeans fight above their weight and why the Americans look like heavyweights and fight like featherweights,” U.S. captain Hal Sutton said.
There are plenty of theories. It usually starts with the Europeans’ ability to come together as a team.
The European Tour doesn’t have the perks or riches of the U.S. PGA Tour. In the U.S., it’s almost 12 players, 12 limos, or rather, 12 private planes.
In Europe, the players bond more on and off the course. Luke Donald, who plays primarily on the PGA Tour, noticed the difference immediately when he played some events in Europe this summer.
“The European players stay in the same hotel, plan dinner together, hang out more,” said Donald, who will make his Ryder Cup debut for Europe. “It’s much more social in Europe.”
The atmosphere has built a camaraderie that seems to peak during the team format of the Ryder Cup. Traditionally, the Europeans have excelled playing in pairs.
“The bond we get with the fellow players this week is like nothing else,” said Darren Clarke, a three-time Ryder Cup player. “I think we just know each other possibly a little bit more than most of the Americans do.”
That leads to the other part of the theory: The Europeans want it more.
Winning the Ryder Cup carries much more importance in Europe than it does in the U.S. It ranks as one of the biggest sporting events of the year over there.
As a result, the Europeans play with a heightened sense of passion. They always seem to receive excellent performances from unlikely sources. In 2002, Phillip Price, ranked 119th in the world, stunned Mickelson in singles, leading to Europe’s victory.
“For us the extra interest we generate through winning the Ryder Cup, the extra coverage means a lot to the European Tour,” Clarke said. “It helps us grow, get bigger. From that point of view, it’s more important for us as well as the Europeans to win it.”
All those forces have driven the Europeans to victories in the past. This year they come into the matches with several hot players. Miguel Jimenez has four European Tour victories this year and Donald has two since August.
After slumping last year, Montgomerie revived his game to where he merited being chosen as a wild card. Other Ryder Cup veterans like Clarke, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood have captain Bernhard Langer feeling as if this might be Europe’s deepest team.
Yet when play begins Friday, Europe will be the underdog. Perhaps that’s also part of the equation. Its players thrive on being told they aren’t expected to win.
“We’re completely happy being underdogs,” Westwood said. “But if you look at the results week in and week out, we do as well as the Americans. As a European team, we expect to go to the Ryder Cup and win.”
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A world of difference
The United States’ team dominates the world rankings
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U.S. team
Tiger Woods 2
Phil Mickelson 4
Davis Love III 6
Stewart Cink 10
Jim Furyk 11
Chad Campbell 14
Kenny Perry 16
Chris DiMarco 17
David Toms 22
Jay Haas 23
Chris Riley 40
Fred Funk 58
European team
Padraig Harrington 8
Sergio Garcia 12
Darren Clarke 15
Miguel Jimenez 20
Paul Casey 27
Luke Donald 36
Lee Westwood 41
Thomas Levet 43
Ian Poulter 60
Colin Montgomerie 62
Paul McGinley 67
David Howell 68 %%
