USA vs. Europe: Bold Predictions for Epic Ryder Cup 2012

The Ryder Cup provides more excitement than any other event in golf.

In the matchup between the United States and Europe, which features some of the best players in the sport, emotions run high, as no one wants to lose this prestigious event.

Although the European team has won six of the last eight contests, the Americans will try to use the home-field advantage at Medinah Country Club in Illinois to get back on the winning side.

With the intense competition set to begin, here are some bold predictions for the weekend. 

Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker Will Be the Most Successful U.S. Pair

There are a few pairings with experience together that could perform well. Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker went 2-1 in the 2010 competition, and Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson could also be used in various ways to help the team. 

But Furyk and Snedeker could make the perfect combination to lead team USA in the early rounds.

Furyk has been in every Ryder Cup since 1997, and his experience should help calm the nerves of his projected rookie partner. Meanwhile, Snedeker is playing the best golf of his career. He won the Tour Championship to win the entire FedEx Cup last week, and he should be able to continue this momentum into this competition.

If the two find the right chemistry on the golf course, they have the ability to do very well against their counterparts.

Bubba Watson Only Helps in Four-Ball

Few players in history have the power that Bubba Watson has shown over his career. Unfortunately, he is too inconsistent to be relied upon to do well when it matters.

Watson did win the Masters this season, but he also missed three cuts and usually has a scorecard filled with as many bogeys as birdies.

In a foursome match, he would put his teammate in bad positions with second shots too often, as he was 129th in the world this year in driving accuracy. It would be unfair to ask a player to keep working himself out of the rough when he is not used to it.

Fortunately, his ability to make excellent shots could help in a four-ball match, where his score will only count if it is the best. This will allow Watson to be as creative as possible and take tough chances with nothing to lose.

This might come in handy if he is paired with a more consistent performer.

Tiger Woods Continues Team Struggles

He might not have won a major tournament this year, but Tiger is back to being one of the best in the world. He won three tournaments and finished in third in the FedEx Cup standings.

The bad news is that he was never good in team events, even when he was at his prime.

Woods is 4-1-1 in singles competitions at the Ryder Cup, but he's 9-13-1 with a partner. He is simply better when he is able to do his own thing and not worry about what anyone else is doing.

Although captain Davis Love III will likely call on his best player often in the competition, his struggles are unlikely to change.

Rory McIlroy Goes Undefeated in Competition

No one in the world is playing better at this point than Rory McIlroy. 

The youngster has won three of the last five events he has entered and only registered one round above a 70 in three tournaments in the month of September. He has elevated himself to the No. 1 ranking and is on a hot streak that is difficult to stop.

McIlroy struggled a bit in his first Ryder Cup in 2010, as he had a 1-1-2 record. However, he should be more focused and more confident this time around.

Unless his partner, likely Graeme McDowell, completely collapses, McIlroy should have an easy run in this event.

United States Wins More Singles, But Loses Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup does not always come down to talent. The United States team has a very accomplished roster between Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk. This should help win many of the individual matchups that take place on Sunday.

Unfortunately, the European squad works better in the team events. Luke Donald is 6-0 in foursomes in his career against the U.S., and Sergio Garcia is 8-0-1 in the event. A couple of those performances were together, but they have proven to be compatible with others as well. 

This should help Europe get out to a big lead in the first two days of the event. Even with a great comeback attempt by the U.S., it will not be enough to overcome Europe, and the group will win the Ryder Cup once again.

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