Europeans Giddy, Gearing Up for Shift in Ryder Cup Balance

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- With the Ryder Cup coming soon, the Europeans seem to be licking their chops at the thought of taking on a dispirited American squad -- at least in their minds.

Although South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen left St. Andrews Sunday with the British Open's Claret Jug, the Europeans exited with soaring confidence resulting from what they see as a shift in world golf muscle.

The reasons are more than just claiming eight spots among Sunday's top 13 finishers, easily overshadowing three Americans.

The prevailing sentiment is that America's best players are starting to show wear and tear, and the most qualified reinforcements are still wet behind the ears.

"So," Englishman Ian Poulter suggested, "we have a 15-year window."

The optimism is understandable. World No. 1 Tiger Woods, although 34, is not playing like Tiger Woods. From there, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker give the U.S. four of the world's top five, but all are over 40.

In turn, the Europeans boast Lee Westwood, (No. 3), Rory McIlroy (7), Paul Casey (8), Luke Donald (9), Poulter (10), Graeme McDowell (11) and Martin Kaymer (12) -- all but Westwood younger than 35.

It's also worth noting, Westwood finished second Sunday to Oosthuizen, while Casey, Henrik Stenson and McIlroy shared third. The top two American finishers were Sean O'Hair and Nick Watney, tying for seventh. Jeff Overton tied for 11th.

The shift in power can be explained simply as the cyclical nature of the sport. Englishman Nick Faldo, Spaniard Seve Ballesteros and Scotsman Colin Montgomerie led a European uprising after America enjoyed the halcyon days of Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino. Then the U.S. took back much of the glory with Woods as it's attention getter.

Now, here comes change, again.

"It comes and goes," Sweden's Stenson said. "If you look at all the players over a long perspective, everybody goes through ups and downs.

"But sure," he added, "it's been a good summer for Europe."

The suspicion is, when October's Ryder Cup is played in Wales, it will be a very good fall.

"If you have a look at the World Rankings, there are a lot of Europeans up there at the moment, a lot of youngsters," Germany's Kaymer said. "And I think Colin Montgomerie is very happy about that."

He is.

"We had our first British winner of the U.S. Open (McDowell) for 40 years," Montgomerie, the Euro captain, said. "Lee Westwood almost won the Masters, we contended here (St. Andrews) and who says we don't do it again at the U.S. PGA in a month's time. Justin Rose winning twice in America. It's been a fabulous year for British golf.

"In any business, and this is one, if standards rise the competition has to follow suit, which is great for me."

WHAT'S WITH PHIL?

"I'm frustrated with myself ... I love this tournament, and just am disappointed in myself for the way I've played this week.''
-- Phil Mickelson Phil Mickelson continues to hover. He ranks No. 2 in the world and is holding. Since winning the Masters in April, another win (pretty much) anywhere would make him No. 1 for the first time in a very good career.

To his credit, Mickelson does a wonderful job of avoiding the subject. He did such a nifty sidestep last week, that it was suggested he didn't seem to care.

Not so.

"Oh, no. I care," Mickelson said. "I think it would be something that if I were to accomplish in my career -- whether it was for one week or a month or a year, just to be able to say you did it, especially in Tiger's era, it would be incredible.

"So I know my window of opportunity is small because Tiger is going to start playing some of his better golf, so I've got to get my butt in gear."

That's why his closing-round 75 Sunday and tie for 48th in the British was especially bothersome.

"I'm frustrated with myself, not only today's round, the first couple," Mickelson said. "I love this tournament, and just am disappointed in myself for the way I've performed this week."

WATSON TO THE DEFENSE

Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer and Padraig Harrington were honored with honorary doctorate of law degrees by St. Andrews University last week during British Open.

It lead to a wonderful exchange between Palmer, 80, and Watson, 60.

"I congratulated Arnold," Watson said. "I said, 'Arnold, you've always been my idol.' When I grew up, I was a member of 'Arnie's Army', and then Jack (Nicklaus) came along and beat Arnie, and I couldn't stand Jack. I said, 'Arnie, the only reason I beat Nicklaus all those times is because he beat you.' He got a laugh out of that."

HEY, IT LOOKED GOOD AT THE DEALERSHIP

South African Louis Oosthuizen's surprise win at last week's British Open, earned him a lot of world attention -- and maybe caused him to tell more about himself than he might have wished.

Seems the 27-year-old, who earlier this year won his first European Tour title, decided to reward himself by upgrading his transportation to a BMW X5 4x4.

Unfortunately, he drove it home only to discover it was too wide to fit through his garage doors so he had to buy new garage doors.

SENSITIVE, AREN'T THEY?

To no great surprise the British press did not see the humor in 2009 Open champion Stewart Cink's admission that, while in possession of the Claret Jug, he had actually used it. Along with letting his children drink soda from the trophy, he allowed a neighbor to fill it with barbeque sauce for grilling.

Comments in one publication called for Cink's name to be crossed off the Claret Jug upon its return: "He is not a true star and should not have treated it the way he did."

OLD GUYS ROCK

Tom Lehman finished at low senior in the British Open, tying for 14th.

It continued a string of impressive performances this year by Champions Tour players when they have stepped over to the PGA Tour.

Corey Pavin, who will serve as the U.S. Ryder Cup captain this fall, lost in a playoff at the recent Travelers Championship a month after finishing T7 at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. Pavin posted eight consecutive rounds in the 60s at those two events.

Fred Couples finished sixth at the Masters Tournament and T14 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, while Tom Watson was T18 at the Masters and T29 at the U.S. Open.

Michael Allen was fifth at the Farmers Insurance Open, while Tom Pernice, Jr., was T7 at the HP Byron Nelson Classic and has four other top-25 finishes to his credit.

Lehman, who finished 4 under at St. Andrews, also T16 at the Sony Open in Hawaii and T14 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Follow FH Golf on Twitter Friend Us on Facebook