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I apologize for my mistake about distances covered, as I did not realize that so many the Asian Tour stops were also claimed as European Tour stops. I knew they were often played by Euro (and U.S.) players, but if that is by choice, there isn't much room for whining about distances travelled, is there?

In order to avoid a complete threadjack, I will continue my thoughts on this manner in a new thread!

Never mind, League - the Poms are so parochial that when a Londoner goes to Luton he feels as if he's in a foreign country!

Also for all the geography majors, North America is also a continent, so the Yanks also have trans-continental distances in their schedules.

Winning the Ryder Cup takes a team.

You are correct that Tiger is only 5 points, but he does need to play golf like he plays Augusta or on Sundays with the lead. He has a higher standard because he is an amazing golfer, but it's about time he plays at least up to his capability in the Ryder Cup. The same is relatively true for Phil, but I think his problem seems to be more mental than anything. He and Tiger were not comfy with each other and that is a shame.

I hope that well rounded golfers make the team this year. Kenny Perry is a terrible putter (he may not qualify due to his injury) and there are other players (Love, Cink, Lehman, etc.) that simply cannot putt well. The focus should be in getting guys who can putt under pressure this time. Lucas Glover and Zach Johnson may be good additions as examples of players who are more balanced. To me, the lack of putting skills is the biggest weakness in the US team over the last few years. They should also loosen up and I think Lehman may be the guy who can do this appropriately.

Just my two cents.

Yes everyone contributing here and there may it be a 20 footer to halve or a chip in. Also comraderie , and team morale will have a big part. They need to boost each other , and get in the moment. I believe this Ryder a silent , but effective player will help boost the team like a chad campbell or scott verplank.

The reankings are:

1 Tiger Woods 2930.00
2 Phil Mickelson 2034.38
3 David Toms 1068.92
4 Chad Campbell 1009.60
5 Jim Furyk 831.00
6 Davis Love III 631.88
7 Fred Couples 627.73
8 Vaughn Taylor 530.83
9 Zach Johnson 496.48
10 Arron Oberholser 477.50
11 Scott Verplank 475.67
12 Jerry Kelly 473.75
13 Chris DiMarco 470.00
14 Lucas Glover 461.38
15 Tom Lehman 432.92
16 Billy Mayfair

From 7 down it looks pretty ordinary and Love and Couples are getting a bit long in the tooth and are both ordinary putters when the chips are down. One standout is Di Marco who is a natural match player as he showed in the President's Cup. Even though he overdoes the "rah rah" ****, his guts carried him through.

I think the real key to winning is to stop with the attitude. We all know that paper suggests the US team should come out on top, but we also know that has been proven not to necessarily hold true. Instead of simply accepting that the European team are better than they are given credit, most people are looking for an excuse, someone to blame. If the US team (and alot of supporters) got over themselves about this and accepted that the Euros really can fight them for this, they might not be so shocked when it happens.

If you go into a match expecting to win easily, then as soon as resistance is met, you start doubting yourself and it is downhill from there. If you go in expecting to fight, then coming up against a real challenge will not automatically set you on that downhill path.

Hey, the USA are only playing against 'Minor League' players, they should walk it, what's the problem?

In the unlikely event of losing, just say it is not important.

Oh, so this time the Euro's are only going to field players who have not made it to the "major leagues"? In other words, those players from Europe who play regularly on the US Tour because they ARE good enough to be among the world's best, do not get to represent at the Ryder Cup?

Last time I checked Olazabel, Garcia, Donald, Howell, Clarke, Harrington, Westwood, Owen and probably a few others were considered PGA Tour members, part of the "major leagues". And Monty, Stenson, McGinley and Casey make regular appearances over here in "The Big Show".

Personally, I hope the Euros bring their best, and make us earn the win. I don't want to hear any blabbering about the Cup being "given" back to us. I want our guys to TAKE the Cup back! And should the luck of the Irish fall upon the Euros, and they retain the cup, well then they deserve it. After all, their players have been over here learning how to compete against the best in the world!

This one went waaaaaaaaaaaaaay over your head.I'll explain slowly.

European Tour = 'Minor League'
Ryder Cup = American born USPGA Tour v European born European Tour

No one has ever said it would change............nor should it.

Perhaps you should push away from the bar for a minute or two. You seem to be the one with who needs someone to explain things, as YOU are the one who wrote the following:

So here it is, very simple to help you understand:

PGA Tour = 'Major League'
Most of Euro Ryder Cup Team = Members of or at least welcome on the PGA Tour.

Will there be anyone on the Euro Ryder Cup team who has not played the PGA Tour? If the Euros field a team of players that do not play on the US PGA Tour, then yes we will "walk it" at the K Club!

he is trying to convince our media and the U.S. that we are the underdogs. He is correct. We should be conisdered the underdogs until we either win a Ryder Cup convincingly or win two in a row.

Hopefully we will want to beat Europe as bad as they beat us last time.

The key for an American Win is to get more points than the Euro's!

Mind you I'm a Euro supporter so I hope they get more points.

But I would still rather watch the 4 Majors, Bayhill, the Memorial etc. than the Ryder Cup any day.

brianf

I might point out that the US tour is so attractive because of the money. The US spends far more than the Europeans do, thus it attracts more players. The insinuation that the US tour is the best because the US golfers are the best is just not earned (and I appreciate that has not strictly been stated, but it is most definitely implied by some).

Prize money and competition are like the chicken and the egg.

More money = more top players= more World ranking points= more top players = more money =more top players...................stop when bored.

There is no doubt that the US Tour has led the world in building a tour and providing the players with the best conditions (ranging from practise facilities to courtesy cars) in which to play. The courses are the same either side of the pond. I'll see your Pebble Beach and raise you a St Andrews, you can match more tour venues off between great good and not good enough.

That is a lot of syllables for you

So you honestly think that if the Euro tour suddenly had purses 50% more than the US tour (and it is just sense that amenties and such will follow suit), that the US tour would not lose players?!