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America stinks at golf?

Oh man am I the only one who is going to stick up for the euros here?
Right a few pointers,
1 Westwood's point on the American tour was tongue in cheek pure British humor nothing malicious.
2 Nobody backs into a tournament win especially a Major,they play the course and the conditions put in front of them.
3 I think if you look at the percentage of euros playing on the PGA tour to win ratio the percentage would be rather flattering.
4. From a Euro perspective the Americans just don't seem to have the depth of talent they used to have,there seems a big gap between the current crop and any talent coming through. (Fowler excepted)
5. There is also a feeling in Europe that Obama is doing a lot of Brit bashing at the minute so the UK press will use that as an excuse to stoke up any rivalry (the ryder cup)

Truth be told the Euros like America and it's actually nice to have a bit of friendly banter, it's like playing with your buddy at the weekend for $1 a hole just friendly competition.

No malice intended from my side to anyone who reads this.
 
i can't wait for the late night/am crew, ie, the euro forum members to read through this. i'll go ahead and say it, the US will win the ryder cup this year and imo, quite handily.

here are my reasons why:

1. the euros are way too cocky (hence lee, and his comments) and golf has a way of humbling people.
2. the british open showed me one thing, that no one within reach of louis could put a charge together. it was awful watching westwood, casey, stenson just miss birdie putt after birdie putt
3. i think that corey pavin is doing a fabulous job keeping quiet and staying focused on the task at hand
4. surely, the US can't lose to a captain who has MOOBS!!!!

edit: we have one euro with us now!!!
 
shewythemuss said:
Oh man am I the only one who is going to stick up for the euros here?
Right a few pointers,
1 Westwood's point on the American tour was tongue in cheek pure British humor nothing malicious.
2 Nobody backs into a tournament win especially a Major,they play the course and the conditions put in front of them.
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I agree with some of what you say, except these two. Westwood did not win a major and his win a few weeks prior, he ABSOLUTELY backed into. Missing 5 footer after 5 footer on your way to victory is backing into one, no matter what the stage.

To your first point, if this was the 1st time Lee had said something like this, I would agree. But perhaps winning consistently before you say something like this should take place. And like I said before, its great banter, but could you IMAGINE the outcry if the two players ranked ahead of Lee (both US players) had said the same thing?

As for the big gap in depth, I disagree with that as well. Furyk, Stricker are both doing just fine. As is DJ, AK, ZJ, Mahan, etc...

Young crop? The list is VERY long for the US in young talent. In fact I think it is what they really have going for them.
 
No offense taken. I do however disagree with your statement about a shallow pool behind us. Guys like Day, Fowler, Kim, Barnes, Mahan, and a bunch I haven't mentioned. I think it just looks that way because of how talented all of the guys are that no single one stands out. Anthony Kim is fighting injury right now, if he hadn't I'm sure we would have seen alot more from him this year.
 
JB said:
Young crop? The list is VERY long for the US in young talent. In fact I think it is what they really have going for them.
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I have been hearing a lot about the changing of the guard this year. There does seem to be some great young tallent on both sides of the pond. I would say that the future of golf worldwide is looking great!
 
Degoins said:
No offense taken. I do however disagree with your statement about a shallow pool behind us. Guys like Day, Fowler, Kim, Barnes, Mahan, and a bunch I haven't mentioned. I think it just looks that way because of how talented all of the guys are that no single one stands out. Anthony Kim is fighting injury right now, if he hadn't I'm sure we would have seen alot more from him this year.
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Jason Day is an Aussie. But outside of that, I agree with you.
 
Id say that the fact that the #1 and #2 ranked players in the world are Americans should be all the proof thats needed that Americans do not stink at golf. If the Euros want to get our players all worked up for the Ryder Cup, Im ok with that. I just dont want to hear the Euros whining when they get their collective butts handed to them.
 
Degoins said:
Oops! That was a whiff!
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Just replace Jason Day with Crane (33) or any number of other incredible young talents that are coming up.
 
I have Crane at 42 in the rankings?
Anhow if Crane plays the ryder cup will never get finished lol!!
Anyhow in response to the overwhelming collective view I am going for a euro win by at least 5 points! Can't wait for it as it's only 5 miles from my pad.
I still think the ranking system is wrong and loaded in the PGA'S favour, while leftie is prob my fav player he missed the cut at Loch Lomond and was never in contention at the Open, Westwood on the other hand has been Mr Consistent. I do think that when the PGA guys come over they do struggle with the different types of courses in Europe and the weather. (although you do have a nasty habit of winning our Open!)
 
shewythemuss said:
I have Crane at 42 in the rankings?
Anhow if Crane plays the ryder cup will never get finished lol!!
Anyhow in response to the overwhelming collective view I am going for a euro win by at least 5 points! Can't wait for it as it's only 5 miles from my pad.
I still think the ranking system is wrong and loaded in the PGA'S favour, while leftie is prob my fav player he missed the cut at Loch Lomond and was never in contention at the Open, Westwood on the other hand has been Mr Consistent. I do think that when the PGA guys come over they do struggle with the different types of courses in Europe and the weather. (although you do have a nasty habit of winning our Open!)
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You may be right with the Ryder cup. But to say it is loaded in favor of the PGA, shouldn't it be? It is by far the hardest tour out there, and it cannot be questioned from top to bottom. But to think that Westwood should be ranked higher than Phil right now is a joke in my opinion. Until he can win at the biggest stage or win on the toughest tour with any kind of regularity, he cannot jump others.
 
I actually think Westwood is a bit of a bottler, but my point being that the PGA just might not be the hardest tour out there,it is certainly the richest.When you have guys who shoot 24 under does that not say something.What I see (and this may purely be tv coverage) is that the PGA tour is a bomb and wedge,then basically a putting competition as all the couses seem very similar.There is a deep pool of talent in the european tour now (not all players are european though) and the courses are more varied.
I do hope Westwood can win a major and get the monkey off his back or he risks being another Monty.
 
shewythemuss said:
I actually think Westwood is a bit of a bottler, but my point being that the PGA just might not be the hardest tour out there,it is certainly the richest.When you have guys who shoot 24 under does that not say something.What I see (and this may purely be tv coverage) is that the PGA tour is a bomb and wedge,then basically a putting competition as all the couses seem very similar.There is a deep pool of talent in the european tour now (not all players are european though) and the courses are more varied.
I do hope Westwood can win a major and get the monkey off his back or he risks being another Monty.
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I respect your opinion, but to me it is not debatable. The PGA Tour is by far the deepest week in and week out. Showing a case of 24 under because it happens once or twice means little. Check the rest of the tournaments. The Euro tour continues to get better, but it is not even close to the same level from top to bottom.
 
It's far from bomb and wedge imo.
 
shewythemuss said:
I actually think Westwood is a bit of a bottler, but my point being that the PGA just might not be the hardest tour out there,it is certainly the richest.When you have guys who shoot 24 under does that not say something.What I see (and this may purely be tv coverage) is that the PGA tour is a bomb and wedge,then basically a putting competition as all the couses seem very similar.There is a deep pool of talent in the european tour now (not all players are european though) and the courses are more varied.
I do hope Westwood can win a major and get the monkey off his back or he risks being another Monty.
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As opposed to links courses where the luck of the draw plays a part in the winner? I enjoy both types of golf but to say the courses in Europe are tougher is a mistatement, your weather is.
 
Degoins said:
As opposed to links courses where the luck of the draw plays a part in the winner? I enjoy both types of golf but to say the courses in Europe are tougher is a mistatement, your weather is.
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Well said. I saw teh Open Championship this year and it was bomb and wedge if there ever has been one in a major. I watch both tours quite a bit and the courses aer different for sure, but to say what was said is a falsity.
 
JB said:
Well said. I saw teh Open Championship this year and it was bomb and wedge if there ever has been one in a major. I watch both tours quite a bit and the courses aer different for sure, but to say what was said is a falsity.
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heck they didn't even need a wedge on a lot of the par 4's lol
 
I'll even go one further. If St. Andrews were here in the states it would be one of the largest UNDER par courses the guys would play. Those guys would eat it alive with no wind no matter what side of the pond your from.
 
Hawk on the 19th hole just said Westwood hasn't made a putt on Sunday since he was 6 years old!
 
JB said:
I respect your opinion, but to me it is not debatable. The PGA Tour is by far the deepest week in and week out. Showing a case of 24 under because it happens once or twice means little. Check the rest of the tournaments. The Euro tour continues to get better, but it is not even close to the same level from top to bottom.
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I think there is a glaring example of what you are saying. There are NUMEROUS good european and other international players that join the PGA tour as their exclusive tour. There are very little US players that join the Euro tour as their exclusive playing grounds (and I cannot really think of many "good" US players they have made the Euro tour as their sole tour). While this is not conclusive evidence, it is strong support of your statement.
 
interlooper said:
I think there is a glaring example of what you are saying. There are NUMEROUS good european and other international players that join the PGA tour as their exclusive tour. There are very little US players that join the Euro tour as their exclusive playing grounds (and I cannot really think of many "good" US players they have made the Euro tour as their sole tour). While this is not conclusive evidence, it is strong support of your statement.
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While I do agree with you about the depth, I think the reason you see that is more for money and not competition.
 
this is a pretty funny comment coming from Westwood considering his history, hopefully it was just playful banter for the Ryder Cup. and comparing the PGA tour to the Euro tour is like comparing the NFL to the CFL.
 
Degoins said:
While I do agree with you about the depth, I think the reason you see that is more for money and not competition.
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Im not sure. Money plays a role, but athletes at this level want to play against the best competition.
 
what's even better is that golf prime time in europe is usually pga tour coverage, here if you get up before the sun you can catch some euro tour, haha. it's definitely not about the money for these guys, it's about beating the best.

i'm loving this thread so far, i can't wait to just keep it going. and we all know that i am a huge westwood fan, but my allegiances will always be with my home country, Liechtenstein
 
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