2014 Ryder Cup: Strengths and Weaknesses for Each Team
As an important golf event like the Ryder Cup approaches, it's always fun to look at the competitors and teams and determine strengths and weaknesses.
Some strengths are apparent, like the star power of the European team or the dominant advantage the United States has off the tee.
And so are some weaknesses, like the lack of depth on the U.S. team and the possible overconfidence the Europeans might fall into because of their recent success in the Ryder Cup.
Check out the following list with some more strengths and weaknesses.
USA Strength: Better Driving
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Even at the elite professional level, golf is so much easier when players can drive the ball long distances. Driving can make for short approach shots into greens, regardless of whether those drives are in the fairway or rough.
Going into this year's festivities, the United States definitely has the edge from the tee box. There are four players wearing red, white and blue who finished in the top 50 in driver distance on the PGA Tour this year: Bubba Watson (1), Keegan Bradley (17), Rickie Fowler (33) and Hunter Mahan (45). Only Rory McIlroy (3) finished in the top 50 in distance for the Europeans.
In terms of driver accuracy, Jim Furyk (4), Zach Johnson (6), Matt Kuchar (20) and Mahan (36) were in the top 40. The Europeans had only Graeme McDowell (12) and Henrik Stenson (14) in that group.
Team USA will need to take advantage of the edge it has with the big stick.
Europe Strength: Star Power
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With the occasional exception of a relatively unknown rookie (like Jimmy Walker or Patrick Reed), the majority of players on the two units are well-known.
But when the strengths and weaknesses of the teams are weighed, there's no doubt the star power shines most brightly from the other side of the Atlantic. It obviously helps to have the No. 1 player in the world, Rory McIlroy, on your team.
But Sergio Garcia has become something of a Ryder Cup legend with spectacular putting performances over the years. Ian Poulter brings wild-eyed enthusiasm and an elevated game. Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer are both major champions and have been clutch performers in Ryder Cups.
Those names compare quite favorably to the Americans' wildly unpredictable and moody Bubba Watson, talented-but-still-trying Rickie Fowler, 44-year-old Jim Furyk and the greatly mysterious Phil Mickelson.
Playing on home soil with that sort of star power makes Team Europe look very imposing.
USA Strength: Captain America
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When he has been a member of United States Ryder Cup teams, Tom Watson has never been on the losing side.
As a matter of fact, he has one of the great records of all time.
He played in the event four times, going 10-4-1, and 8-2-1 of that came when he was partnered with someone else.
Obviously, he had great skills, but he also had that competitive drive and spirit that made him the player he was.
He has the ability to communicate those things to his players, be a positive and hard-nosed captain and be someone that the players, the younger ones especially, will look up to as an icon in the sport.
Don't think he won't mention how he's never been part of a losing Ryder Cup team. That combined with the two-match losing streak should get the U.S. team's fires roaring.
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Europe Strength: Team Unity
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There are teams, and there are TEAMS.
Every two years, the United States puts together 12 guys and calls them a team to play against 12 guys from Europe in the Ryder Cup.
For some unexplained reason, the Europeans have been able to embrace that team thing much better than the Americans and have used it as a part of their winning formula in the last two Ryder Cups (and seven of the last nine).
Maybe it's because the Europeans' core group of Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood have been together so long. But there definitely seems to be more of a closeness on their team than on Team USA.
USA Weakness: Inexperience
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Both teams have three rookies on their 12-man rosters, and that's pretty much a common number of first-timers each time a Ryder Cup comes along.
But when you add up the experience and results of the veterans, the Europeans have a decided edge.
Europe's nine have played in a total of 31 Cups; the U.S. veterans have appeared in 28.
The real difference, however, is in the records amassed. The Europeans have a 69-32-18 record going into this week. The Americans are 43-52-18. That means the Europeans have 26 more wins and 20 fewer losses.
Those kinds of numbers make you wonder how the United States has dominated this event, going 17-1-1 from 1947 through 1983.
Europe Weakness: Overconfidence
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The last two Ryder Cups have been nail-biting, thrilling 14.5-13.5 victories by the Europeans.
Obviously, neither was a blowout, but grinding out a pair of tough wins certainly has to make the Europeans feel fairly confident going into this week. They trailed 10-6 going into the Sunday singles in 2012 and stormed back to win at Medinah.
In 2010, it was late Sunday afternoon before Hunter Mahan's chunked chip against Graeme McDowell on the 17th hole gave Europe that victory.
With a team as talented as the Europeans are this year, it would only be human nature for them to be filled with a great deal of confidence. If that confidence starts to go over the top and overconfidence starts to sneak in, the team with few weaknesses could get bitten by one.
USA Weakness: Lack of Depth
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When you look at the United States team in the Ryder Cup, questions begin to pop up, as is always the case as the days dwindle until the first round.
But one stands out this year as captain Tom Watson gets ready to take his team across the ocean.
Where are the points going to come from?
There are only four players with winning Ryder Cup records on the team: Matt Kuchar (3-2-2), Zach Johnson (6-4-1), Keegan Bradley (3-1-1) and Hunter Mahan (3-2-3). Those are hardly sparkling, but the other eight players have less than .500 records. And three of those eight are rookies who have yet to experience Ryder Cup pressure.
For the U.S. to have a shot, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk better turn into point-producing monsters this weekend.
Europe Weakness: Let Rory Do It
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Let there be no doubt: It's always a good thing to have the No. 1 player in the world on your team if you happen to be playing in the Ryder Cup.
In this case, that would be Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who will be the headliner for Europe this weekend. And it makes perfect sense he would be expected to be very good.
But if the Europeans take the attitude that McIlroy will carry the day and get a bit careless in their own matches, that could be a problem.
Just for a little perspective, Tiger Woods was the leader of the world of golf during his seven Ryder Cup appearances and managed just a 13-17-3 record. McIlroy is a relative babe by comparison, having competed in two previous Ryder Cups with a ho-hum 4-3-2 record.
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