Ryder Cup - Europe by a Lot

Nine full points - 18½ to 9½.

Sunday singles were a stunning landslide by the Euros - Verplank and Cink won theirs 4 & 3 (over Harrington and Sergio), and Woods (over Karlsson) his 2 & 3. Mickelson went down to Olazábal, DiMarco to Westwood, Furyk to Casey, and Toms to Montie. And that was it. Oh, yes - Henry got a half after it was all over and McGinley conceded a birdie putt ... could easily have been 19 to 9.

Of course, only 5 of the top 20 in the world are Americans now, but a lot of those big guns aren't European, either, so that's not the answer. (Seven Americans and eight Europeans are in the top 25. Ten are from other countries: four South Africans, three Australians, and one each from Fiji, New Zealand, and Argentina. But the top three are Americans, and Europe's first is Sergio García at #8.) Mickelson is world #2 and he couldn't win in this Ryder Cup at all - ½ point in four matches. Furyk is world #3; 2-2-0 this year.

About the best thing you can say this year is that no American went without making at least a half point. On the other hand, only two got 2 points - and on the European side, four made 2 points, one 3, and one 4. Sergio made more points than Tiger or Lefty. Than Tiger and Lefty? So did Lee Westwood!?

Every couple of years we get our hats handed to us by Europe. This year, too. What it comes down to is simple: they want it more than we do.