Am I Missing Something?

Can someone explain to me why the United States is favored in the Ryder Cup? I just checked a few different sites to see what the odds are and all of them have the US as a slight favorite. Well, I don't see it. I don't see how the Euros can win 4 of the 5 Cups, including an absolute shellacking two years ago on US soil, and not be the favorites to win in Ireland.

The combined record of the guys on Team USA is previous Ryder Cups? By my count, it's 40-52-16. Team Europe isn't set yet but, taking 6 key guys that are definitely going, their record in previous Ryder Cups is 57-26-14. Enough said.

Now, none of this is to suggest the US can't win. The absolutely can. Tiger and Phil need to play like TIGER and PHIL for a change. Phil's been decent in the Ryder Cup but something a little better than decent (like a 4-1 record) would help. Tiger? I mean, what can you say that hasn't already been said? The fact that he has a 7-11-2 record all-time is just mind-boggling. If he's going to keep getting stomped by guys that he eats for lunch at majors (and don't underestimate the psychological boost that gives the Euros) then we've got a problem. If he decides to step on everyone's neck one of these years? Then we're in business. Obviously, he's more than capable. But until he does it? He still has to prove it.

So Tiger and Phil need to man up. Throw in Dimarco, Furyk and Toms (and maybe Campbell) and that's basically your Ryder Cup right there. Everyone talks about the rookies, and in a close match it's a concern, but they're not going to amount to a lot of points won or lost either way. The big guns decide these things for the most part. And the big guns on their side have outperformed ours for years now. Simple as that.

There's no doubt in my mind that the US can win. But favored? Not in my book. I think the smart money's on Europe. Again.