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MEDINAH, Ill. — There was a hint of it at Celtic Manor in Wales two years ago when Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar and Dustin Johnson were young and defiant and nearly took down a talented European team on its home soil. It wasn’t all about Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson and whether they faltered or failed. It was a team from top to bottom, hearkening a new era of American golfers where the young guns held true to old-school patriotism.
That evolution has carried over to the 39th Ryder Cup that begins today at Medinah Country Club outside Chicago. And that’s why it says here the Americans will sip champagne after regaining the Cup on Sunday.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, who drained the clinching putt for Europe at Wales, suggests these are the two best teams ever assembled for a Ryder Cup, which dates back to 1927. It would be hard to argue the point. Twenty of the top-26 ranked golfers in the world are in the competition, with each side showing very little weaknesses from top to bottom.
The Europeans have four of the top five ranked players in the world in Rory McIlroy (No. 1), Luke Donald (No. 3), Lee Westwood (No. 4) and Justin Rose (No. 5). But the Americans have No. 2-ranked Tiger Woods and the 10 highest ranked players after Rose except for Louis Oosthuizen (No. 11) of South Africa, who is not eligible for the event. If there is strength in numbers it’s on the American side, and that depth will be a key to them regaining the Ryder Cup.
Even the four rookies on the roster aren’t a weakness. One is Brandt Snedeker, the hottest player in golf after winning the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup in Atlanta last week. Another is Webb Simpson, the reigning U.S. Open champion. Keegan Bradley won the PGA Championship last year and the WGC-Bridgestone this year, and Jason Dufner has collected two wins and nearly $5 million in earnings this year.
“I don’t think there’s a bad match-up on the board for any players on our team,” said Bradley, the St. John’s product.
The Americans have a chance to score a quick upset with Jim Furyk and Snedeker playing the powerful pairing from Northern Ireland of McIlroy and McDowell in the first foursomes match. The Americans want to get off to a good start to get the crowd involved and put the pressure on the Europeans, who traditionally earn an early advantage after the first day. Rain played havoc with scheduling two years ago in Wales, but Europe led after the first day in 1997, 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2006 before the U.S. earned a first-day lead in Valhalla en route to winning the Cup in 2008. But this figures to be a close, intense duel to the finish, regardless of who has the lead after today’s play.
If everything is equal on paper, then it’s the course setup and the fan support that gives an edge to the U.S. Medinah has been shaved of any meaningful rough from tee-to-green. It should invite some creative shot-making. If the play is thrilling, the roars will be deafening. That’s the way it was for the U.S. at Valhalla in Louisville and for the Europeans in Wales. Sergio Garcia and Westwood have been known to buckle under the crowd noise, going a combined 0-4-4 in their eight matches in 2008.
The passion and the pressure begin today when each player steps to the first tee, playing for their teammates and their country.
“It’s a lot like the last nine holes when you have a chance to win a major championship except that starts on Friday morning,” U.S. captain Davis Love III said.
Friday morning of a Ryder Cup has arrived. The U.S. is counting on more than Tiger and Phil this year. Their strength is in numbers.
george.willis@nypost.com