I certainly hope were not getting stronger, comparatively speaking. Lets look at The Open Championship and track top ten results for the past 10 years. Points awarded: 10 for 1st place, 9 for 2nd, 8 for 3rd, and so on:

By Country:
USA: 258 points...... 8 Open Champions
SAF: 61 points...... 1 Open Champion
ENG: 55 points
AUS: 47 points
SWE: 41 points
IRE: 33 points
DEN: 26 points
FRA: 24 points
FIJI: 15 points
SPN: 14 points
NZL: 13 points
ITA: 11 points
ARG: 11 points
SCO: 10 points...... 1 Open Champion
Wales: 9 points
GER: 8 points
CAN: 8 points
JPN: 7 points
FIN: 2 points

USA: 258 points, 8 Open Champions
EUROPE: 244 points, 1 Open Champion
REST: 151 points, 1 Open Champion

If this analyses were made by currency awarded, the disparity would be much greater as the splits reward the champions much more than the runners up. For example, in 2004 1st place took £720000, while 2nd took £430000. The majority of US top ten finishes were distributed in positions 1 through 5.

2004:
1. Todd Hamilton, USA, 10 points
2. Ernie Els, SAF, 9 points
3. Phil Mickelson, USA, 8 points
4. Lee Westwood, ENG, 7 points
5. Thomas Levet, FRA, 6 points
5. Davis Love III, USA, 6 points
7. Scott Verplank, USA, 4 points
7. Retief Goosen, SAF, 4 points
9. Mike Weir, CAN, 2 points
9. Tiger Woods, USA, 2 points

2003:
1. Ben Curtis, USA, 10 points
2. Vijay Singh, FIJI, 9 points
2. Thomas Bjorn, DEN, 9 points
4. Tiger Woods, USA, 7 points
4. Davis Love III, USA, 7 points
6. Brian Davis, ENG, 5 points
6. Frederik Jacobson, SWE, 5 points
8. Kenny Perry, USA, 3 points
8. Nick Faldo, ENG, 3 points
10. Sergio Garcia, SPA, 1 point
10. Hennie Otto, SAF, 1 point
10. Retief Goosen, SAF, 1 point
10. Gary Evans, ENG, 1 point
10. Phillip Price, WAL, 1 point

2002:
1. Ernie Els, SAF, 10 points
2. Steve Elkington, AUS, 9 points
2. Stuart Appleby, AUS, 9 points
2. Thomas Levet, FRA, 9 point
5. Shegeki Maruyama, JPN, 6 points
5. Padraig Harrington, IRE, 6 points
5. Gary Evans, ENG, 6 points
8. Thomas Bjorn, DEN, 3 points
8. Scott Hoch, USA, 3 points
8. Peter O'Malley, AUS, 3 points
8. Reteif Goosen, SAF, 3 points
8. Sergio Garcia, SPN, 3 points
8. Soren Hansen, DEN, 3 points

2001:
1. David Duval, USA, 10 points
2. Niclas Fasth, SWE, 9 points
3. Ernie Els, SAF, 8 points
3. Darren Clarke, IRE, 8 points
3. Bernhard Langer, GER, 8 points
3. Miguel Angel Jimenez, SPN, 8 points
3. Billy Mayfair, USA, 8 points
3. Ian Woosnam, WAL, 8 points
9. Sergio Garcia, SPN, 2 points
9. Jesper Parnevick, SWE, 2 points
9. Miko Ilanen, FIN, 2 points
9. Kevin Sutherland, USA, 2 points

2000:
1. Tiger Woods, USA, 10 points
2. Ernie Els, SAF, 9 points
2. Thomas Bjorn, DEN, 9 points
4. Tom Lehman, USA, 7 points
4. David Toms, USA, 7 points
6. Fred Couples, USA, 5 points
7. Paul Azinger, USA, 4 points
7. Loren Roberts, USA, 4 points
7. Pierre Fulke, SWE, 4 points
7. Darren Clarke, IRE, 4 points

1999:
1. Paul Lawrie, SCO, 10 points
2. Justin Leonard, USA, 9 points
2. Jean Van De Velde, FRA, 9 points
4. Angel Cabrera, ARG, 7 points
4. Craig Parry, AUS, 7 points
6. Greg Norman, AUS, 5 points
7. David Frost, SAF, 4 points
7. Tiger Woods, USA, 4 points
7. Davis Love III, USA, 4 points
10. Hal Sutton, USA, 1 point
10. Scott Dunlap, USA, 1 point
10. Retief Goosen, SAF, 1 point
10. Jim Furyk, USA, 1 point
10. Jesper Parnevick, SWE, 1 point

1998:
1. Mark O'Meara, USA, 10 points
2. Brian Watts, USA, 9 points
3. Tiger Woods, USA, 8 points
4. Jesper Parnevick, SWE, 7 points
4. Jim Furyk, USA, 7 points
4. Justin Rose, ENG, 7 points
4. Raymond Russell, ENG, 7 points
8. Davis Love III, USA, 3 points
9. Thomas Bjorn, DEN, 2 points
9. Constantino Rocca, ITA, 2 points

1997:
1. Justin Leonard, USA, 10 points
2. Jesper Parnevick, SWE, 9 points
2. Darren Clarke, IRE, 9 points
4. Jim Furyk, USA, 7 points
5. Padraig harrington, IRE, 6 points
5. Stephen Ames, CAN, 6 points
7. Peter O'Malley, AUS, 4 points
7. Fred Couples, USA, 4 points
7. Eduardo Romero, ARG, 4 points
10. Tom Watson, USA, 1 point
10. Tom Kite, USA, 1 point
10. Shigeki, Maruyama, JPN, 1 point
10. Frank Nobilo, NZL, 1 point
10. Davis Love III, USA, 1 point
10. Robert Allenby, AUS, 1 point
10. Mark Calcaveccia, USA, 1 point
10. Ernie Els, SAF, 1 point
10. Lee Westwood, ENG, 1 point
10. Retief Goosen, SAF, 1 point

1996
1. Tom Lehman, USA, 10 points
2. Mark McCumber, USA, 9 points
2. Ernie Els, SAF, 9 points
4. Nick Faldo, ENG, 7 points
5. Mark Brooks, USA, 6 points
5. Jeff Maggert, USA, 6 points
7. Peter Hedblom, SWE, 4 points
7. Greg Turner, NZL, 4 points
7. Fred Couples, USA, 4 points
7. Greg Norman, AUS, 4 points

1995
1. John Daly, USA, 10 points
2. Constantino Rocca, ITA, 9 points
3. Steven Bottomley, ENG, 8 points
3. Mark Brooks, USA, 8 points
3. Michael Campbell, NZL, 8 points
6. Vijay Singh, FIJI, 5 points
6. Steve Elkington, AUS, 5 points
8. Corey Pavin, USA, 3 points
8. Mark James, ENG, 3 points
8. Bob Estes, USA, 3 points