Sam Torrance: USA are rightful Ryder Cup favourites but Europe thrive on underdog role
On paper, the 12 men wearing the striped shirts at Le Golf National this week might comprise the strongest line-up that the United States has ever sent to a Ryder Cup.
But then I can’t remember the last time that Europe started out as favourites. We love being the underdog. We don’t realise that we’re the underdog because that’s not the way we think.
That hasn’t stopped us from winning eight of the last 11 Ryder Cups. It’s a team effort and we have a wonderful team ethic.
Read more: Le Golf National is Europe's secret Ryder Cup weapon
Home advantage is also a huge factor in our favour this time.
European players have been playing this course regularly for decades and all of the current team know it.
They are comfortable there. They know holes, shots, where and where not to hit it. What can the Americans learn about the course before play tees off on Friday compared to what the European players have absorbed over year after year of tackling it in tournament conditions?
On top of that, Le Golf National negates a lot of the strengths of the Unites States team. Six of their team’s best attribute is their driving, but this isn’t a long-hitters’ course.
So taking all of that into account makes it virtually even, in my view.
The rookie factor
Rookies are always a topic of discussion around the Ryder Cup because it’s such a unique event.
We used to say that making your debut is a bit like becoming a father in that it’s hard to explain to someone what it feels like until they experience it – and because nothing can prepare you for it.
The good thing is that rookies aren’t out their on their own at first; you’ve got a mate alongside you for the first two days of fourballs and foursomes.
Then by the time you get to the singles on Sunday you are bloodied and ready to battle on your own.
Tyrrell Hatton is among Europe's Ryder Cup debutants (Source: Getty)
In Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm I have a feeling that Europe have three rookies who will rise to the occasion.
This is a chance to see what the fiery Hatton has got. I think he’s got a lot, an awful lot.
Fleetwood, meanwhile, is a little streetfighter while Rahm, too, is a passionate guy who can feed off the atmosphere that Ryder Cup crowds generate.
USA captain Jim Furyk (left) picked Tony Finau (right) as his last wild card (Source: Getty)
I wonder whether the US have made the right decision in making Tony Finau their final wild card pick, though.
I imagine it would have been between him and Xander Schauffele for that spot and, in Finau, captain Jim Furyk has plumped for another power hitter. Schauffele might have been a better pick for me.
Finau also isn’t a great putter. It all comes down to holing putts in the end, not who can drive the ball 400 yards. That’s what the pressure of the Ryder Cup is about: the guys who can knock in the putts.
The captain's routine
Europe captain Thomas Bjorn will have spent the early part of the week settling in his players and thinking of his best pairings for the fourballs on Friday morning.
I don’t think he’ll care what the Americans are putting together. You can’t second guess it; it’s not worth the effort and you’ll just get yourself into trouble. At least, that’s the way I did it – Thomas knows that – but of course it’s entirely his move.
These are big decisions and once play begins the picture is ever-moving. Thomas will have to submit his foursomes pairings for the afternoon session before the morning matches have finished.
On Friday night, shortly after play has finished, he will have to get his selection in for the Saturday morning fourballs. Then by 12 noon on Saturday he has to have decided his four foursomes for the afternoon.
Finally, probably an hour after play on Saturday, he’ll have an envelope with the order of his 12 singles for the climactic final day. It’s like something from an Agatha Christie movie. It’s awesome.
Torrance captained Europe to Ryder Cup victory at The Belfry in 2002 (Source: Getty)
One of my favourite Ryder Cup memories is from my turn as captain in 2002 at The Belfry.
The match was tied 8-8 on the Saturday night when the singles orders came out and we all took a look at who would be playing who. We really loved our order and took that feeling out onto the course, where we won 15½–12½.
Europe know they can beat Americans
Until the Americans won at Hazeltine in 2016, Europe had been on a three-match winning run.
While it won’t be the end of the world if we don’t win in France, it would be really nice to stop them building any more momentum.
It’s back on the other side of the Atlantic next time, where they’ll be able to use home advantage – as Davis Love III did so well last time – and will be big favourites.
The quality of the American line-up makes it a huge ask for Europe to win this week.
But I remember when I started playing Ryder Cups and we were coming up against people like Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino. Those guys were like gods.
Nowadays our players are used to playing theirs and we know we can beat them – so that’s the challenge.
France are world champions of football, they expect excellence, and it’s up to our team to show it in Paris.