Ryder Cup 2014- Precisely what went wrong with America?

The United States dropped yet one more Ryder Cup, and this really isn't unexpected considering it was on foreign land where the United States has not won since 1993. What was different regarding this one though had been the easiness at which the European side came out on top. Typically these Ryder Cup's go right down to the final matches on the last day, and frequently that's when Europe's best finds an approach to succeed. This occasion there did not appear to be much drama with the early going, when the U.S. hardly ever seriously threatened.

So now that the outcome is in and basically post mortems have begun, I thought I would add my 2 cents at this point, and that's perhaps just what it is worth. Many of the reasons for the United States' decline I do think difficult to buy. A lot of fault will go to Capt. Tom Watson, and I accept there were a few decisions that were somewhat curious, like playing Phil Mickelson 36 holes on Friday and none on Saturday. But I'm sure regardless of what Watson's decisions were they would have attracted disapproval. I have yet to see a losing captain being applauded.

How players are matched I believe is quite overrated. Good players in most cases play superior golf and most times are going to top players that aren't as good. Sounds clear, I know, but it comes down to who really are the best golfers. The top participants from Europe frequently out-perform the top players from the United States, and Ryder Cup 2014 was really a good example of that. The top four rated European players were a combined 10-3-5; the top four Americans were 2-11-3. That is quite a demoralizing overall performance from any team's top golfers, and there wasn't any way the Americans would overcome that.

So why is it that the top players usually not only cannot carry our squad, but are unable to merely hold their own? It is most certainly not because they are not good golfers. They really are and have established it on most every stage. One of those four American golfers, Bubba Watson has won a couple of Masters Titles which is arguably the most difficult tournament each year to win.

I realize this is likely to seem to be psycho-babble; however you could make a case for the fact that different players handle Ryder Cup stress different. I talk here in generalities, but I've always believed that the better European players, and maybe even back to Nick Faldo along with Colin Montgomerie always appear to carry themselves with more belief. When Phil Mickelson was younger I thought he did too, but rarely lately. He and Tiger Woods, who of course did not play this year, have trudged around the golf course as if they've the burden of the world on their shoulders. It's true that's what takes place often when you're losing, but until the best American golfers find a way to play to their capabilities as the Europeans do, I do believe we can look for more of the same. Frequently once you're losing, but until the top American players find a way to play to their capabilities as the Europeans do, I think we can look for more of the same.