The 37th Ryder Cup is here again and this time it?s going to be held in the Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky, USA from September 19-21, 2008. This is one week when professional golf is no longer about individual stroke play but becomes all about teamwork, national pride and matchplay competition.
The work hard of the American and European professional golfers over the last two years is taken into account at the end of which the team and captain?s picks are decided.
Contested between the Americans and Europeans, the Ryder Cup was started by Sam Ryder as a matchplay event between the Americans and the British golfers. However, it was quite a one-sided affair till the Europeans got involved and looking at the last few victories, it is obvious that the Europeans who have won the beautiful trophy consecutively the last three times these teams have met, definitely hold an advantage over their opponents.
While the American team will be captained by Paul Azinger and will consist of team members Phil Mickleson, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim, Justin Leonard, Boo Weekley, Ben Curtis, Chad Campbell, JB Holmes, Hunter Mahan and Steve Stricker. Campbell, Holmes, Mahan and Stricker are the captain?s picks while the rest have qualified through the Ryder Cup points system compiled by the PGA of America. Tiger Woods absence will definitely be felt, specially since the event is being held on home soil. However, Tiger will remains out of action till the Masters next year. No doubt, the Americans have their work cut out for them as the European team has 12 strong contenders and have proved time and again that they are unbeatable when it comes to team events.
The charismatic Nick Faldo will captain the European team which boasts Padraig Harrington who has won two back-to-back major championships ? the British Open and the PGA Championship, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Soren Hansen, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Robert Karlsson, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Oliver Wilson. Faldo has picked Poulter and Casey as he feels they will benefit his side and Jose Maria Olazabal, who no doubt will soon be offered the job as captain some time soon given his excellent record at the Ryder Cup, will assist him as vice-captain.
Meanwhile, the PGA Tour playoffs are on and Vijay Singh leads the standings with 122,651 points after three events. Vijay is in excellent form and has won his 42nd event since turning 40 ? an incredible feat and seems to be in contention every week. Singh won the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in early August, then The Barclays ? the first playoff FedEx Cup event, followed by the Deutsche Bank Invitational. While Camilo Villegas won the last event, the BMW Championship; Vijay has almost won the playoffs. With just the Tour Championship left, Vijay Singh ? who has won two playoff events and just needs to play all four rounds of the final event ? is ready to take home the $10 million payoff!