Handicapping the European Ryder Cup Team

The Ryder Cup starts Friday, which is another way of saying the Europeans are just three days from Operation Beatdown '08. It's hardly surprising that our friends across the pond are favored -- they've won the last three events, and the only reason it's not six straight is because Justin Leonard holed a "no way that goes in" 40-footer in 1999.

But, hey, there's a reason they play these things: anything can happen. As a companion piece to Shane Bacon's look at the American side, here's my ill-informed take on the European team, their past record, and who I think they will be best paired with this week.

Sergio Garcia (14-4-2) and Oliver Wilson (rookie) -- America hates Ryder Cup Garcia for a reason: because he never loses (or at least it seems that way). He's played with Jesper Parnevik, Jose Maria Olazabal and Lee Westwood during the last four events and he's won 70% of the time. Not too shabby. I'll be honest: I have no idea who Oliver Wilson is. For all I know, we're related. Whatever, he'll just have to stay out of Garcia's way on Friday and Saturday and hope the Euros are far enough ahead on Sunday that it won't matter if he goes down 9 and 8.

Lee Westwood (14-8-3) and Ian Poulter (1-1-0) -- Westwood earned his match play chops in 1999, when he and Darren Clarke beat David Duval and Tiger Woods in Friday fourball, before dispensing with Jim Furyk and Mark O'Meara in foursomes a day later. Captain Nick Faldo left Clarke off this team, which means one of his picks, Poulter, will have to fill the void. Poulter strikes me as a player who wilts under pressure, but Westwood, much like Garcia, will do all the heavy lifting.

Padraig Harrington (7-8-2) and Robert Karlsson (0-1-2) -- Here's my lasting Ryder Cup memory of Paddy Harrington: facing O'Meara in singles on the final day and with the outcome yet to be decided, the now three-time major winners paced off the yardage from ball-to-pin. Hardly noteworthy except he was more than 100 yards from the green. I think that's called over-thinking the shot, but, hey, he went on to win the match and the point so what do I know? Interestingly, he's been just average in the event, and there are some concerns he might be exhausted after a busy -- and wildly successful -- '08 season. Karlsson has been very consistent this season, which could mitigate some of those concerns. Random fun Karlsson fact: he's 12 feet tall.

Miguel Angel Jimenez (1-3-0) and Graeme McDowell (rookie) -- Jimenez is known as the mechanic not because he looks and plays like a robot, but because he loves automobiles. Just throwing that out there. Despite his poor Ryder Cup showing, he has an uncanny ability to get up and down from 200 yards when the match is on the line. This is McDowell's first Ryder Cup appearance, but he's a grizzled veteran of the European Tour. The Northern Irishmen won't be intimidated by the atmosphere and overabundance of rednecks Kentuckians*, either; he attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham and, according to RyderCup.com "was ranked the Number One Collegiate Golfer in the United States in 2002 after winning an incredible six events out of 12 appearances with a stroke average of 69.6–beating the previous best returned jointly by Luke Donald and Tiger Woods."

Paul Casey (3-1-2) and Justin Rose (rookie) -- Rose, who came out of nowhere to have an impressive showing at the 1998 British Open, is making his first Cup appearance. That's surprising, but given his experience, he won't play like a wide-eyed first-timer. Casey has fared well in his two previous showings and although he struggled in the weeks leading up to Faldo naming him as a captain's pick, I fully expect him to be in typical Ryder Cup form come Friday.

Henrik Stenson (1-1-1) and Soren Hansen (rookie) -- It seems like decades ago, but Stenson won the 2007 Accenture Match Play Championships, and finished third this year after losing to Tiger Woods in the semifinals. That has to count for something this week. Here's what I know about Soren Hansen: absolutely nothing.

(reads this)

And I now know that the Denmark native currently resides in Monte Carlo. Tough gig, that.

Yep, that's right Monty, you lost out to a guy named Soren. Thanks, Nick, you vindictive wanker.

*It's a joke, people. Relax.