Europe tipped for Ryder Cup triumph
Europe will win a fourth straight Ryder Cup at Valhalla – but by nothing like the nine-point winning margins experienced in the last two contests.
That is the view of the majority of international journalists polled by news and sports agency the Press Assocaition on the eve of the clash in Kentucky, with 21 of 35 picking Nick Faldo’s side as the winners, 13 going for the home side and one tie.
Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood are by far the most popular choices to be top points scorer for their side – as they have done for the last two contests - while rookie Anthony Kim is tipped to do the same for Paul Azinger’s team.
Philip Reid (Irish Times): Europe 14 1/2-13 1/2. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer: Stenson. Key: Europe have more know-how in getting the job done.
Brian Keogh (Irish Sun): Europe 14 1/2-13 1/2. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer. Westwood. Key: Strength in depth.
Dermot Gilleece (Sunday Independent): Europe 15-13. USA top scorer: Mickelson. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: After tight pairs matches, Europe dominate singles.
Lewine Mair (Daily Telegraph): Europe 14 1/2-13 1/2. USA top scorer: Campbell. Europe top scorer: Karlsson. Key to victory: superior iron play.
John Hopkins (The Times): Europe 15-13. USA top scorer: Cink. Europe top scorer: Westwood. Key: Europe’s teamwork.
James Corrigan (The Independent): Europe 16 1/2-11 1/2. USA top scorer: Weekley. Europe top scorer: Westwood. Key: better driving, better approach shots, better putts.
Mark Reason (Sunday Telegraph): Europe 14 1/2-13 1/2. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: A minor!
Bill Elliott (The Observer): USA 15-13. USA top scorer: Mickelson. Europe top scorer: Westwood. Key: the home crowd and the captain.
Derek Lawrenson (Daily Mail): Europe 16-12. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: better players.
David Facey (The Sun): Europe 17-11. USA top scorer: Cink. Europe top scorer: Westwood. Key: experience, proven winners – and weak opposition.
Neil McLeman (Daily Mirror): Europe 15-13. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer: Westwood. Key: Europe have better and more experienced Ryder Cup players.
Peter Higgs (Mail on Sunday): Europe 15-13. USA top scorer: Furyk. Europe top scorer: Harrington. Key: Faldo’s inspired captaincy.
Mike Aitken (The Scotsman): USA 14 1/2-13 1/2. USA top scorer: Mickelson. Europe top scorer: Karlsson. Key: home advantage.
Jock MacVicar (Scottish Daily Express): Europe 16-12. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: Europe have better players, simple as that.
Douglas Lowe (The Herald): USA 15-13. USA top scorer: Furyk. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: Home advantage.
Tom English (Scotland on Sunday): USA 15-13. USA top scorer. Kim. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: Crowd to turn Americans into demon putters.
Doug Ferguson (Associated Press): Europe 18 1/2-9 1/2: USA top scorer: Ben Curtis. Europe top scorer: Westwood. Key: Mickelson loses all five matches.
Len Shapiro (Washington Post): USA 15-13. USA top scorer: Furyk. Europe top scorer: Harrington. Key: winning or halving matches that go 18 holes. Last two cups 23 went to the 18th and Europe won or halved 22.
Mark Cannazzaro (New York Post): USA 15-13. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: USA rookies.
Tom Bonk (Los Angeles Times): Europe 16 1/2-11 1/2. USA top scorer: Cink. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: as usual, better putting.
Larry Dorman (New York Times): USA 15-13. USA top scorer: Perry. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: Play of US rookies.
Jim McCabe (Boston Globe): Europe 15 1/2-12 1/2. Euro top scorer: Curtis. Europe top scorer: Westwood. Key: JB Holmes’s length – he’s too short on every clutch putt!
Bob Baptist (Columbus Dispatch): Europe 15 1/2-12 1/2. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: Europe’s depth of contributors.
Hank Gola (New York Daily News): USA 14 1/2-13 1/2. USA top scorer: Cink. Europe top scorer: Harrington. Key: taking down Sergio Garcia, Europe’s Tiger.
Christine Brennan (USA Today): USA 15-13. USA top scorer: Perry. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: Tiger Woods isn’t here, so US play as ultimate underdogs.
Steve Elling (cbssports.com): Europe 15 1/2-12 1/2. USA top scorer: Curtis. Europe top scorer: Westwood. Key: beating USA in first four matches Friday morning (again!)
Barker Davis (Washington Times): Europe 15-13. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer: Casey, Westwood, Garcia. Key: USA continues its futility in close matches, dropping a handful of points over the three days at the 18th.
Cameron Cole (Vancouver Sun): USA 14 1/2-13 1/2. USA top scorer: Perry. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: Europe unity crumbles under Faldo.
Isabel Trillo (El Mundo/Marca, Spain): Tie 14-14. USA top scorer: Furyk. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: the public support.
Jesus Ruiz (Grupo Joly, Spain): USA 15-13. USA top scorer: Furyk. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: The Tiger Woods absence makes the USA team more of a team.
Philippe Hermann (Golfers and Co, Switzerland): USA 15-13. USA top scorer: Furyk. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: singles.
Mark Garrod (PA Sport): Europe 15-13. USA top scorer: Furyk. Europe top scorer: Westwood. Key: When the going gets tough Europe’s stars will shine through.
Phil Casey (PA Sport): Europe 16-12. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: Europe getting off to quick start to negate effect of crowd.
Simon Lewis (PA Sport): Europe 15 1/2-12 1/2. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer: Westwood. Key: big early lead and no Euro meltdown in singles
John Nestor (PA SportsTicker): USA 14 1/2-13 1/2. USA top scorer: Kim. Europe top scorer: Garcia. Key: fast start by Kentucky duo Perry-Holmes, plus no Tiger Woods to hold them back.
