That champagne feeling

THE first morning of the 37th Ryder Cup matches may seem a long way removed from the November gloom of Britain. But rest assured that by the time autumn and winter have given way to spring, and the Masters is once more upon us, the seeds will very much have been sown with regards the make-up of the two teams and, specifically, Europe's intentions to retain the trophy.

Already, there is a feeling on this side of the Atlantic that competition to make the side will be fiercer than ever before.
Of the dozen who did us so proud at the K Club only 14 months ago ­- though for them it must feel much longer ­ several have endured indifferent 2007s. Think Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, David Howell, Robert Karlsson and Jose Maria Olazabal. Even Colin Montgomerie has been far from his best for prolonged periods. Henrik Stenson started the year in blistering style with
wins in Dubai and Tucson, at the WGC Matchplay, but has done little since.

Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia have failed to win a tournament between them, though in the Spaniard's case he ought to have claimed the biggest one of all, the Open Championship. Even Paul Casey, who started the year by winning in Abu Dhabi, has not finished in the top five of a strokeplay event since. That just leaves Lee Westwood, with two wins in Europe but little to shout about in the biggest global events.

Oh, and Padraig Harrington ­ who has become our first Major champion in eight years.

Every one of these 12 will be desperate to reclaim their place in Kentucky for the next instalment, but even Harrington is taking nothing for granted. And no wonder when you consider the quality of some of those who did not make it to Ireland. Top of the list would have to be Justin Rose, who will be as high class a debutant as is imaginable. Going by his form this year, he might even be a Major champion by then.

Behind him are the likes of Niclas Fasth, Ian Poulter, Nick Dougherty, Carl Pettersson, Thomas Bjorn, Bradley Dredge, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Soren Hansen, Anders Hansen and Markus Brier ­ to name but a few.

"Over the years there haven't been very many changes from one team to the next, maybe only two or three," said Harrington. "I think you're likely to see more this time around. I was watching some coverage of the French Open earlier in the year and the commentator was saying that the players competing were not the big names, and then he corrected himself and said that these were the big names of the future, and they were just establishing themselves at the moment.

"There is a changing of the guard. I think European golf is very strong at the moment, There are a lot of very good young players. I think they're going to progress ad make their way into the team. I think you will a few more rookies this time and even though they may be rookies they're really good, solid players.

"European golf is on its way up at the moment. There are a lot of good English players, and much is made of that, but I actually think Continental Europe have a lot of good players coming through as well," he said.

All of the above know that a fast start to climb towards the top of qualifying tables that began in September is almost essential. If you only hit top form around the time of the Masters, in April, the event that traditionally marked the start of the season, you will be seven months into an 11-month qualifying period.

And with points available virtually every week between now and then, even the likes of Harrington cannot afford to sit back and relax for too long if they want to give themselves the best chance of avoiding an undignified last-minute scramble for places next summer.

"Last time I had a funny qualifying period and I didn't really get going for the first few months," he said. "Then I had to add a few extra events and so I didn't actually make sure of my place until quite close to the event. I'm quite happy now that I've got plenty of European Tour events in my schedule so I can make a dent in the qualifying early on.

"The last thing you want to do is be thinking about getting into the team at the last minute."

Crucially, Harrington and his peers all seem to understand, accept and trust the qualifying system that was implemented ahead of the 2004 Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills. To take into account the fact that so many of our top players were playing predominantly in America, five places were made available to the men who earned the most world ranking points over the qualifying period.

The next five went to the top men in the European Tour points table, with the final two members of the team being wild cards selected by the captain.

"I think Europe has got it spot on. I don't think there's anybody calling for it to change. The world ranking system allows some of the bigger players to play a freer schedule, and it also means they are not taking away from the players who are competing to win the points in the regular tournaments in Europe. So you get the best of both worlds, with the top players and the home-grown players both able to make the team.

"And over the years, it's the guys who have played their ways onto the team in eighth, ninth and 10th positions who have done so well for Europe -­ the so-called rookies."

Whichever 12 do make the team, they will face a challenge that no European side has ever previously done. The Americans have now won only one match since 1993, and only then after trailing for all of the first two days at Brookline in 1999 prior to that unforgettable singles comeback. The last two matches, though, have not even been close. Successive record victories have left the American public, and the players, in a state of open-mouthed amazement.

They tried the shock-and-awe captaincy of Hal Sutton and that did not work. Then they gave the altogether more dignified Tom Lehman a try. That did not work either. Now it is the turn of Paul Azinger and one thing is for sure: there will no apathy, perceived or real, in the American ranks this time. This patriot will simply not allow it.

Already, he has dismantled the USA qualifying system, reserving the right to pick four of his team as wild cards.

"I think anytime you allow a selection to be made rather than qualifying on merit there is the potential for controversy," said Harrington.

Certainly, it is a clear admission that not only do the Americans not know what their best team is, they have little confidence in the right 12 men for Ryder Cup duty playing their way on. It seems a tacit admission that the style of golf we see on the PGA Tour week-in, week-out is not ideally suited to team matchplay.

Nor will Europe be able to draw heart from being the underdogs. It is easy to forget that as recently as 2002, at The Belfry, the Americans were overwhelming favourites. Now the roles will be reversed. Time and again we have seen British sporting teams, but at club and international levels, revel in being unfancied and having nothing to lose. Now they will have to cope with the expectation that comes with being favourites.

Harrington, though, does not see that as being a problem because he believes that the European players are better equipped to deal with the unique pressures of a Ryder Cup.

"I really believe that one of the reasons we seem to play better in the Ryder Cup is because our payers are better under pressure. I think that the way the PGA Tour is dominated by Tiger Woods and, to a lesser extent, Phil Mickelson is bad for the younger players. I just don't think they are in contention often enough. I think Tiger wins something like every other event he plays in, which means the others just don't expect to win when he's in the field.

"They are taught finishing in the top 15 or the top 20 is a good performance but, let me tell you, you learn nothing about yourself by doing that. Guys qualify for the US team and they haven't even won a tournament, or they have won a tournament but only have one other top 10 to their name. That isn't good practice for the Ryder Cup.

"Whereas our guys play in Europe where it's more open and they're playing to win every week ­ you have to if you want to climb the rankings and make the Ryder Cup team. Our guys tend to have competed down the stretch in seven or eight
tournaments, rather than one or two. And that's when you find out about yourself, and how you learn to cope with the pressure."