DATE : September 16-21 COURSE : Valhalla, Louisville, Kentucky PAR : 71 YDS : 7,496
Valhalla Golf Club's front nine traverses a low-lying parkland setting where 650,000 cubic yards of earth were moved to build up tees, greens and fairways to a level that would protect the course from major storm damage. Valhalla's greens, tees and fairways are a combination of Pencross and Penway bent grass strains. Overall, there are 42 sand bunkers strategically positioned throughout the course. Valhalla Golf Club's slick greens feature distinct tiers and sections that provide a variety of challenging hole locations. The primary rough is Kentucky bluegrass with fescue making up the secondary rough. The incoming nine holes were carved out of higher, tree-covered terrain with a shallow creek that would come into play on four holes.
THE RYDER CUP HISTORY
2006 - EUROPE 18.5-9.5 USA (The K Club) 2004 - EUROPE 18.5- 9.5 USA (Oakland Hills CC) 2002 - EUROPE 15.5-12.5 USA (The Belfry) 1999 - USA 14.5-13.5 EUROPE (Brookline CC) 1997 - EUROPE 14.5-13.5 USA (Valderrama) 1995 - EUROPE 14.5-13.5 USA (Oak Hill CC) 1993 - USA 15-13 EUROPE (The Belfry) 1991 - USA 14.5-13.5 EUROPE (Kiawah Island) 1989 - EUROPE 14-14 USA (The Belfry) 1987 - EUROPE 15-13 USA (Muirfield Village)
WORLD RANKINGS TOP 50 (USA & Europe only, correct to 17 Aug)
01 Tiger Woods US 02 Phil Mickelson US 03 Padraig Harrington Ire 04 Sergio Garcia Spa 06 Henrik Stenson Swe 08 Stewart Cink US 10 Steve Stricker US 12 Justin Rose Eng 13 Lee Westwood Eng 14 Jim Furyk US 16 Anthony Kim US 17 Kenny Perry US 19 Miguel A Jimenez Spa 21 Robert Karlsson Swe 22 Luke Donald Eng 23 Ian Poulter Eng 27 Justin Leonard US 29 Graeme McDowell NI 32 Boo Weekly US 33 Zach Johnson US 35 Ben Curtis US 36 Sean O'Hair US 37 Paul Casey Eng 39 Hunter Mahan US 41 Woody Austin US 43 Martin Kaymer Ger 44 Brandt Snedeker US 45 Soren Hansen Den 46 Scott Verplank US 48 Fredrik Jacobson Swe 49 Carl Pettersson Sco 50 Oliver Wilson Eng
RYDER CUP STANDINGS
TEAM EUROPE
Captain : Nick Faldo
Padraig HARRINGTON Lee WESTWOOD Sergio GARCIA Henrik STENSON Robert KARLSSON Miguel A JIMENEZ Graeme MCDOWELL Justin ROSE Oliver WILSON Soren HANSEN Ian POULTER* Paul CASEY*
* wild card pick
TEAM USA
Captain : Paul Azinger
Phil MICKELSON Stewart CINK Kenny PERRY Jim FURYK Anthony KIM Justin LEONARD Ben CURTIS Boo WEEKLEY Steve STRICKER* Hunter MAHAN* Chad CAMPBELL* JB HOLMES*
* wild card pick
TV COVERAGE - SKY SPORTS 1
Fri 19 Sep : Day 1 - Foursomes & Fourballs 12.00pm Sat 20 Sep : Day 2 - Foursomes & Fourballs 12.00pm Sun 21 Sep : Day 3 - Singles 4.30pm
(all times BST)
OUTRIGHT BETTING
EUROPE 10/11 (Paddy Power) USA 11/8 (BET 365)
Please post any thoughts, tips, info and analysis below.
GOOD LUCK
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mugz,
Heavy support for EUROPE this week and you can now back USA at 2.46 on the exchanges.
TEAM EUROPE is finalised today after the final qualifying event the 10 automatic places will be filled, and Faldo is due to announce his 2 wild card picks live on Sky Sports 3 at 6.00pm.
All the bickering between Monty and Poulter cant have helped eithers chances of being selected and the word on the street is CLARKE & CASEY.
Clarke has a great record with Westwood and Casey didnt lose a match at The K Club.
The hype machine is moving through the gears nicely as both teams hit the course for the first time on Tuesday, and The Ryder Cup is underway.
The betting on this event is incredible, and not for the first time USA are being backed before a ball is hit. You have to ask yourself how on earth can EUROPE be trading at odds against.
Nearly every stat favours EUROPE. Their Ryder Cup experience sees them field a team with a combined RC pts total of 47 compared to 26 for USA; EUROPE have 7 top 20 ranked players, USA have 6; EUROPE have 12 top 50 ranked players, USA have 10; EUROPE have 4 rookies while USA field 6.
What price would USA be if they had won the last 3 and 5 of the last 6?
There is a feeling that Faldo might be a problem as Captain, but I havent seen any evidence of that so far. He is doing things slightly differently, threesomes in practise for example, but I cant seem him risking too much when it comes to selections. I expect all 12 to have a run out on Friday, so everyone will have at least 2 matches. None of the Mark James gambling we saw at Brookline where 3 players didnt hit a ball until Sunday, and not surprisingly all lost as USA won 8 singles and the cup.
USA have a shocking record over the first 2 days. In the last 10 RC's they have finished in front only once with 1 all square after Saturday. Boylesports are offering 2.05 that EUROPE are leading after 2 days, and that has to be backed.
BETS
RYDER CUP OURIGHT - BACK EUROPE @ 2.05 (Paddy Power 5pts
LEADING AFTER DAY 2 - BACK EUROPE @ 2.05 (Boylesports) 5 pts
Well the Ryder Cup is nearly here and as Mugz has said "The hype machine is moving through the gears nicely".
Few points to look at:
US TEAM Recent results will spur on the US on home soil. Two home state players will help further get the crowd on their side as will the charm offensive that Azinger and his team have been and will be pumping out in the lead up to Friday.
I actually feel that without Woods the US have a better chance this year. Not just because he's not playing but it adds to other factors. I've read elsewhere that he's a certain point in the singles, which 95% of the time is right, but as his record has proved he's not a definite 4pts in the pairs matches.
Team spirit may be better without Woods, obviuosly we don't know what it has been like the past few cups, but I can only think players like Mickelson will revel in the role of leader on course. Getting the crowds up and acting like conductor to the "U.S.A." chants.
World rankings can sometimes go out the window when it comes to match play. P Price v P Mickelson sprigs to mind as does a certain T Woods v N O'Hern, T Woods v K Sutherland.
EUROPE TEAM
Recent winning run is great and with the better players on paper and fewer rookies Europe should be in good shape to win/ retain the cup.
Europe have two players with the best recent records in the Ryder Cup in Garcia and Westwood.
Europe has double Major winning P Harrington.
Europes team spirit is renowned and with the addition of players of the same nationalities ie Garcia/ Jimenez, Karlsson/ Stenson, Harrington/McDowell, Westwood/ Casey/ Poulter/ Rose/ Wilson groupings seem to spring off the page.
VERDICT
Nick Faldo picking I Poulter will not be the reason Europe may lose the Ryder cup. If, as Mugz predicts, Europe finish Saturday leading and itcame down to Poulter's match and he didn't deliver, then I would change my mind. But Poulter will not be the reason.
I personally think it will be down to one team winning the Cup and not the other losing it. The US normally win more singles matches than Europe. If Europe win then thats what should have happened, no supprise. But if the US win then they will have WON it.
I actually think this could be a really tight Cup, possibly even a draw. For me a point spread from 13-15 to 15-13 would be about right.
Top points scorer market looks interesting.
You need to pick players that will play 5 matches. For Europe its likely to be Harrington, Westwood, Garcia, and possibly Casey and McDowell (Irish Pairing) For US its likely to be Mickelson, Cink, Furyk, and possibly Kim and Leonard.
My picks would be Westwood/ McDowell & Mickelson/ Kim
1) Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Soren Hansen 2) Padraig Harrington, Henrik Stenson, Graeme McDowell 3) Robert Karlsson, Paul Casey, Ian Poulter 4) Justin Rose, Oliver Wilson, Miguel Angel Jimenez
USA
1) Kenny Perry/JB Holmes & Jim Furyk/Boo Weekley 2) Phil Mickelson/Justin Leonard & Anthony Kim/Hunter Mahan 3) Chad Campbell/Stewart Cink & Steve Stricker/Ben Curtis
Wednesday
EUROPE
1) Sergio Garcia/Miguel Angel Jimenez & Padraig Harrington/Graeme McDowell 2) Paul Casey/Oliver Wilson & Lee Westwood/Soren Hansen 3) Henrik Stenson/Robert Karlsson & Ian Poulter/Justin Rose
USA
1) Jim Furyk/Kenny Perry & JB Holmes/Boo Weekley 2) Stewart Cink/Steve Stricker & Ben Curtis/Chad Campbell 3) Phil Mickelson/Anthony Kim & Justin Leonard/Hunter Mahan
There will be morning only practise on Thursday as the opening ceremony takes place in the afternoon.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mugz,
The Ryder Cup is possibly the most hyped sports tournament in any year. Today we have journalists saying that cracks are appearing in the European team all because Faldo was filmed holding a sheet of paper with his final practise groups on. Even if they are correct, the order they are sent out is not known so the information is next to useless as far as the opposition are concerned. Faldo decided to try and cover his error with a joke about the scribbles being a sandwich list, which fell flat, and this has apparently damaged the Europeans chances. Laughable stuff.
Just over an hour to the opening ceremony and the announcement of the Friday morning foursomes.
17.55 Mickelson/Kim v Harrington/McDowell 18.10 Stricker/Curtis v Poulter/Justin Rose 18.25 Leonard/ Mahan v Garcia/Jimenez 18.40 Holmes/Weekley v Westwood/Hansen
A pulsating first day as USA produced inspired and fierry golf to lead 5.5 - 2.5.
The lead can be attributed to MICKELSON who carried Kim for 2 rounds to win 1.5 pts for his team from losing position. A 1.5 pt swing puts both teams level, and Europe played well enough to be level at least. USA cannot keep up the level of performance they produced on Friday, while Europe who didnt see the best of Casey, and Garcia can go up a level. There is no reason why Europe cannot finish Saturday at least level, but Faldos ommission of Westwood & Garcia from the morning foursomes could make or break his Ryder Cup. Step forward Oliver Wilson.
