There is no doubt that the PGA tour is the premier golf tour in the world with bags of money, but there is something quite revealing in the money lists.
The top 20 golfers on the PGA tour have earned an average of $3.2m so far in 2006. This compares to a measly (!!) $1.7m for Europe's top 20. However the names on the list are quite revealing -
- PGA Tour - US golfers make up only 4 of the top 10 and 9 of the top 20 on the money list.
- European Tour - European golfers make up 8 of the top 10 (the other two are Ernie and Retief at numbers 8 and 9 respectively and Luke Donald is at 10). Of the top 20, 15 are European.
It sort of backs up the strength in depth argument. The US tour, apart from the top 3 (important I guess !!) seems to be a playground for Aussies and South Africans. The European tour is genuinely European whilst the PGA tour seems to be more of a world tour - remove the non US players and there isnt a whole lot left in terms of numbers. The PGA tour, although the strongest in terms of prestige and money, is not representative of American talent. It's akin to English football - loads of money with numerous players earning $200,000 a week but its full of foreigners and our national team ***** and always seem play **** when it matters most.
Sure you have the top 3 in the world at the moment but that doesnt make a Ryder cup team.
Last edited by shaderunner : September 26th, 2006 at 12:01 AM.
Reason: two edits in one post? please read our language policy
....... our national team ***** and always seem play **** when it matters most.
Sure you have the top 3 in the world at the moment but that doesnt make a Ryder cup team.
No it doesn't - recently anyway (we're 6-7-1 since the format changed to 8-10 countries vs. 1) - but majors are when it matters most and American players have easily won the most recently and historically...... even if you only look at The Open Championship (I say that in case you're buying into any of Lefty's unfair qualification complaints).
Last edited by shaderunner : September 26th, 2006 at 12:01 AM.
Reason: language in quote
No it doesn't - recently anyway (we're 6-7-1 since the format changed to 8-10 countries vs. 1) - but majors are when it matters most and American players have easily won the most recently and historically...... even if you only look at The Open Championship (I say that in case you're buying into any of Lefty's unfair qualification complaints).
The 8-10 countries vs 1 doesnt really stack up. When compared to golfing poulation, size etc its a pretty fair competition. Otherwise the US should technically be hammered in the Presidents cup on a regular basis because thats like 1 country vs. dozens.
Regarding major championships, post the Faldo, Ballesteros etc era when it felt like the Masters belonged to us, we have definately underperformed. But Tiger makes up the lions share of US wins and frankly he is in a different league to everyone else. The fact that 3 majors are played in the US does make a massive difference but thats no real excuse. I genuinely feel that the Europe will produce some major winners over the next few years - the tour is getting stronger and a number of the young players are maturing well.
No it doesn't - recently anyway (we're 6-7-1 since the format changed to 8-10 countries vs. 1) - but majors are when it matters most and American players have easily won the most recently and historically...... even if you only look at The Open Championship (I say that in case you're buying into any of Lefty's unfair qualification complaints).
i think he was talking about the English Football team with the where you quoted him. or am i mistaken somewhere?
I genuinely feel that the Europe will produce some major winners over the next few years - the tour is getting stronger and a number of the young players are maturing well.
I agree wholeheartedly. The European talent level is now way too high for that not to happen.
And perhaps when a European wins another major, the USA will win another Ryder Cup. After all, it's been seven years since 1999, Paul Lawrie and Brookline..... Though in the interim there have been 28 major championship opportunities and but three Ryder Cup competitions.
I plan to keep betting the farm on Donald, Harrington, Monty & Casey
I agree wholeheartedly. The European talent level is now way too high for that not to happen.
And perhaps when a European wins another major, the USA will win another Ryder Cup. After all, it's been seven years since 1999, Paul Lawrie and Brookline..... Though in the interim there have been 28 major championship opportunities and but three Ryder Cup competitions.
I plan to keep betting the farm on Donald, Harrington, Monty & Casey
i think it will be someone you dont expect to win (i guess a young Spanish man) our first major in years, i am looking at someone like Fernandez Castano, or Canizares.
although i do like the look of the big named Spanish players too, Garcia (just gotta break it soon, but how long), Olazabal (masters maybe) or Jimenez. there is so much talent in Europe, it should not take too much longer to have another win. i guess next years Masters and The Open will produce European winners.
September 25th, 2006, 07:31 PM
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