Likeable European side have enough to win Ryder Cup again
Published:Europe may have dominated the Ryder Cup in recent years but that hasn’t stopped the USA team being installed as the odds-on 4/5 favourites.
The USA’s two most recent victories have both come on American soil – Brookline in 1999 and Louisville in 2008 – and they will be confident of winning the event for only the third time in 19 years.
However, a big factor in the Americans’ success on home soil can be put down to the intimidating atmosphere created by the often very well refreshed galleries that gather.
America’s amazing comeback in 1999 was perhaps the best example of the effect the crowd can have. They got behind their team and got on the backs of the European players – most notably Colin Montgomerie – and helped drag their team to a brilliant victory in the ‘Bear Pit’.
Things have calmed down since then though and the past few Ryder Cups in America have been far tamer affairs – and this one promises to be no different.
Europe boasts a host of players who compete regularly in America and are extremely popular with the American crowds.
US Open winners Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell are both well-liked over the pond, while Englishmen Luke Donald and Lee Westwood are both respected in the USA.
Even if the crowd does get rather more boisterous than expected, the European team has the experience to deal with anything that is thrown at it.
There is only one rookie in the European team – Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts – and, if Jose Maria Olazabal’s men are able to keep their heads, then backing them to retain the Ryder Cup may be a punt well worth taking on at 5/4.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
