After months of anticipation, the Ryder Cup is finally here. And while the United States is favored to take home the trophy in Europe for the first time in 25 years, Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee believes it’s not quite that simple.
Appearing on a recent edition of the Golf Channel podcast, Chamblee laid out his reasoning for why Europe, not the U.S., deserves to be favored heading into this week’s matches outside Paris. Chief among his arguments is that unlike other recent Ryder Cup venues, Le Golf National will put a premium on driving – an area where the Americans are sorely lacking.
Chamblee also discusses his recent column about how Jim Furyk will need to handle two notable captain’s picks in Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Seen as two of the best American players of all time, Woods and Mickelson have gone an eye-popping 1-6 in Ryder Cups when they’ve both been on the team, winning only in 1999 by the thinnest of margins and enduring an embarrassing defeat in 2004 when paired together early in the week.
Other topics include Chamblee’s expectations for how the U.S. pairings might shake out, which European rookie is poised for a breakout performance and why the foursome sessions will be critical to any chances the Americans have to retain the trophy abroad.
Chamblee also takes time to discuss the continued success of Woods, who is coming off a breakthrough victory at the Tour Championship and who, in the eyes of Chamblee, was poised to be the Americans’ most valuable player even before the final putt dropped at East Lake.
Listen below to this Ryder Cup edition of the podcast, and click here to subscribe for future episodes.
