posted Sep 5, 2008

Tiger Woods does not have the best of Ryder cup records but he does have the "intimidation" factor that the U S will miss. They do have some very good players in their side but so do Europe and it should be a close match. Jack Nicklaus fancies the U S to win easily but I`m aure thats just bravado designed to get the American public geed up to support the home team. It`s worked for us in the past and might work for them - only time will tell.
I know this much, if any of our players show the slightesr signs of lacking in confidence the U S will capitalise on it and we will lose the match. All we can ask is that our players produce some kind of form and leave the rest to the golfing gods.

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posted Sep 5, 2008

Jack's comments are interesting.
He is obviously 'talking up ' the USA chances and needs to because apart from home course advantage the USA boys haven't a lot going for them.
They are a team of 2 halves..... 50% fatties and the rest regular guys.
I doubt that the fatties have the stamina if put in to play all or most matches as the event is pretty hard work !!
Team Europe to win by at least 2 points.

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posted Sep 5, 2008

Maybe Jack is getting a little old after all. Sad to see. The europeans have no reason to revel due to the fact that GB and Ireland have lost fairly regularly until 'The Europeans' became invited to level things up. We could offer them Australia and South Africa but we'll enjoy them American writhing for a while yet...

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posted Sep 5, 2008

Calling from America: Woods missing is wholle irrelevant. This U.S. team is going to get throttled at Valhalla. I know that last two renditions were nine point wins for Europe - and double digits seems impossible - but I think it'll be a ten point whitewash. This U.S. team has no heart and little ability to compete against a very strong European team.

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posted Sep 5, 2008

On Planet Golf, Tiger Woods resides in a class all by himself, there's absolutely no question about that. Drawing comparisons with Padraig Harrington is the preserve of delusional fools and silly attention seekers. I mean, come on ... the gap between Tiger and Padraig is as big as the gap between Padraig and Robert Rock.

And yet, strangely, the US team are going to be stronger than usual in the Ryder Cup precisely because Tiger is not there. His presence has a suffocating effect on the others and, without that, they are going to bond much better and play much better.

USA 16 Europe 12 this time.

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posted Sep 5, 2008

and "the others" have a "suffocating effect" on Tiger!

Why all the nonsense about them missings Eldrick and none about Europe missing our injured twosome, Donald Olazabal 6-0-0 last time out?

And Nicklaus is getting all a bit flatulent here; he was thoroughly outcaptained at MV by Jacklin and the US have been only occasionally competitive ever since.

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posted Sep 5, 2008

The USA team are going to have the same old problems bonding, nothing has changed in that respect, nothing at all.

They'll have been having their room service on Tour all year, and will struggle to bond in time. They had a good go at it last time out, and still got hammered, proving that 'forced bonding' doesn't work.

There has to be a genuine warmth and camaraderie between the players, which will once again be lacking in the USA side, but there in spades with the Europeans (just compare Garcia to Mickleson to see what I'm on about).

Europe to win by a street.

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posted Sep 5, 2008

Okay scarrow, Garcia compared to Mickelson, fair enough ... Sergio is far more extrovert, more passionate, more of a team player, yes he is ... but what about when he doesn't get on with the team's other big player (Mr H)? ... how is that going to play, do you think?

Real problem for Europe, this is.

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posted Sep 5, 2008

First of all, with Tiger out of the game, Padraig has shown Tiger-like class when winning his last 2 majors. The par he made at the last hole of the US PGA was outstanding. I'm a huge Garcia fan and do believe his time will come. If he could bring the passion and flair that he displays in the Ryder Cup to the Majors, we could be in for a thrilling rivalry over the next 5/10 years between himself and Tiger, Harrigton etc. This brings me to my next point. I'm actually stuggling to comprehend Jack Nicklaus' comments when he said "Europe has a lot of good players and a host of very promising young guys. But who among them has a great record?

Eh wait a minute, did I misunderstand? Has the great man actually ever seen Sergio Garcia's Ryder Cup record?! Let me remind him:

P20 W14 L4 H2

Just for extras, may I add that Garcia has played 8 foursomes matches and won 8 points. Surely even the most American of American's would admit that it incredible. I hope that the European boys whip the Yanks for the 4th time running. Not that I'm bias or anything...

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posted Sep 5, 2008

Yeah, that Garcia RC record is amazing alright ...

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