The European press has no shame. They had it out for Ryder Cup Captain Nick Faldo well before the matches ever started. Only a blitzkrieg win by the Euro side would have kept the hounds at bay. Maybe. These are the same rags that once dubbed Faldo, “El Foldo.” No wonder that upon winning The Open Championship he so famously thanked them from the heart of his bottom. If you ask me, they had it coming. In hindsight, it’s a wonder that the outcome of the Ryder Cup was still very much in doubt by the time the final two matches ... full post »

I want to say yes but, as a general wagering rule, it is never wise to bet on or against your home team. The reason is obvious: it’s too hard to separate emotion from good thinking. Despite that good advice, here’s what I am thinking (or feeling). The Americans have their best chance in a while to win the Ryder Cup. I’m not exactly feeling anything like Ben Crenshaw when he proclaimed to be a big believer in fate. No, I see many reasons to like the U.S. chances. Six, in fact. Half of the American team has been playing ... full post »

Sergio Garcia is the best Ryder Cup partner of the modern era, including both sides. His record in the four-balls and foursomes matches is unparalleled in history. And that even includes his Spanish countrymen, Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal, who as partners combined to lose just twice in 15 matches for an amazing record of 11-2-2. In the past four events for which he has been eligible, Garcia has played in every session and compiled an unfathomable record of 13-1-2 as a partner. In those sixteen matches with four different partners, he’s tasted defeat just once and that was ... full post »

Much can change with the Ryder Cup still 2 weeks away, but based on current form the United States team will need to find a couple of very strong pairings if they are to have a serious chance of winning. There are actually a handful of guys playing very well right now, although none are playing quite to the level of noted Ryder Cup ace Sergio Garcia. But as Tiger Woods can attest, fourballs and foursomes make even the very best golfers quite vulnerable. Looking at the first two FedEx Cup events, there were five Americans who finished in the top ... full post »

Perhaps the United States best chance in the Ryder Cup will be the polarizing abilities of European Captain Nick Faldo. He surprised the entire golfing world by going for Ian Poulter over a back-in-form Darren Clarke. My personal choices would have been Clarke and Carl Pettersson. Clarke just whipped all the Europeans two weeks ago and has a locker room presence that cannot be understated. Pettersson recently did a number on most of the Americans and has played very well all year long on America’s toughest courses. Certainly the European press is showing its collective disdain for the Captain. But then, ... full post »