Valhalla Cometh

Filed in archive Golf News on September 11, 2008

Harrington Leads European Team

The 2008 Ryder Cup begins next Tuesday. Three days of practice should have both teams honed for the head to head competition which doesn't begin until Friday.

It's a pressure cooker and that's why it always serves up some of the best golf you can ever hope to watch.

The U.S. has home turf advantage for this edition of the famed biennial tournament but will it be enough for the American squad?

You can prognosticate and opine all you want about player selection and quality of lineup but I think there is an argument to be made that, if question marks exist, they hang over the U.S. team first.

There is no Tiger Woods this time around. Phil Mickelson is the top dog according to world ranking. But where has his game been? That's one question.

Another question involves Anthony Kim. Can the young rookie deal with the pressure? If he can, he could be the dark horse and hero-in-waiting for the U.S. side.

Kenny Perry is on the squad, having accumulated the required points thanks to some big wins in pretty ordinary tournaments. But when there's something more than FedEx Cup points on the line, can Perry deliver?

For the Euros, there is only one question. There is no doubt they have the stronger lineup, by far, with players who are at the tops of their games: Harrington, Garcia, Poulter, Rose and Westwood are playing excellent golf. Robert Karllson and Henrik Stenson are in top form, as well.

And many of these guys are Ryder Cup veterans like Garcia, Harrington, Jimenez and Paul Casey.

There is one question for the Euro team: can everyone deliver at Valhalla the way they have been everywhere else this season?

And finally, who will win the Battle of the Captains? Whose strategy will prove the more convincing and decisive?

If you think you know the answers to all these "what-ifs", then Ryder Cup fantasy pools are the place for you to be.

The guys at Today's Golf fired me an email recently to let me know about theirs. Some big prizes are up for grabs. There are plenty of others, of course.

Pick your pool, place your bets and may the best team win. Those who watch are already the winners; they will witness great golf.

And that comes with a money-back guarantee.