RYDER CUP: Advantage USA?

IS it just me or are things go America's way in the lead-up to September's Ryder Cup (Chris Bertram writes)?

We've had Paul McGinley resign as vice-captain before he had been sworn in, we've had Colin Montgomerie fall out with this year's captain and we've had Padraig Harrington  lose form to the point of looking like he might need a pick to be selected.

Now, Luke Donald has virtually been ruled out of the matches by European captain Nick Faldo, a man with an increasing sore head.

Donald's is a significant loss in my opinion. He excelled on debut at Oakland Hills despite being very wet behind the ears and, although the soggy fairways of The K Club made it a very long course for him he prospered there too.

What is so valuable about Donald is that he hits it straight and is a good guy. He's therefore perfect for pairs golf – the steady man alongside a birdie machine in fourballs and consistency personified in foursomes.

Sergio Garcia, for instance, will be very sad not to see his name on the European team sheet in September.

Of all the young English players jostling for position at golf's top table, Donald for me has the most class.

The Poulters, Caseys and Roses may well be fine players for Europe in two months time but none is in form and I'm less sure about them finding it than I would have been about Donald.

Europe's team does still have a strong look to it though. The fact is, there are just a heck of a lot of talented European players these days.

Do they have the class of Donald, Montgomerie and Darren Clarke - three massive figures for our continent in the last two matches?

I'm not so sure. I worry that when we get down to it, some of our highly-vaunted debutantes might not quite cut it. I hope I'm wrong.

It's just that it seems to me that America has won the early sparring. They seem well placed to pounce on a weaker Europe.

Oh, I nearly forgot - there is a smallish fly in the ointment for the USA. The finest player ever to pick up a golf club isn't going to be fit to play against Europe.

It may well be that whichever team deals with their respective adversities ends up lifting the Cup come September.