Ryder Cup Power Rankings: Bubba Watson props up the list
Published:Yesterday we ranked the chances of each member of Team Europe being their leading point-scorer, rating Sergio Garcia at number one and Graeme McDowell in last place.
Now it’s the turn of the visitors:
Bradley was an obvious captain’s pick for Tom Watson having performed so stirringly at Medinah, where he went 3-0-0 with Phil Mickelson.
He can be the USA’s Ian Poulter at Gleneagles this week and is one of just two of the team to have scouted the course this summer.
The partnership with Bradley is a certainty to continue in Scotland and Mickelson should be fully recharged having last played on Tour three weeks ago.
No player in US history has contested more Ryder Cup matches than Lefty, who is expected to be a force in Scotland.
After a stellar year, Fowler arrives as easily the most in-form American. He’s broken new ground in the majors this year, finishing in the top five of each one.
He’ll need to continue that progression during this tournament though, having failed to win a match in his last, and only, appearance.
The man they call “Kooch” has been undefeated in his previous two Ryder Cup appearances when playing with a partner, but has lost both of his singles matches.
Kuchar racked up an impressive 11 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season.
Simpson hasn’t enjoyed the best of seasons but his record is by no means as bad as some of the opposition’s.
He’s likely to be paired with Bubba Watson, with whom he won twice and lost once in 2012.
For a rookie, Spieth’s odds are remarkably short. That’s because he was impressive when playing in the President’s Cup last year, when compiling a 2-0-2 record.
A runner’s up spot at this year’s Masters shows he’s not overawed by the big occasion either.
Walker won his first PGA Tour event this season, then went on to win two more as he competed at the right end of the FedEx Cup.
He also registered top-10 finishes in three of the year’s four majors, although the one he failed in was The Open.
As a young, fearless Ryder Cup debutant, Reed could be a dark horse in the USA pack, providing he gets enough chances to prove it.
Mahan’s last involvement in the Ryder Cup was losing the deciding point to Graeme McDowell in 2010.
Back as a captain’s pick thanks to a timely win at The Barclays, Mahan must improve significantly to land a top-scorer punt.
When he tees off in Scotland, Furyk will be in the middle of his ninth straight appearance. However, for someone so experienced his record is feeble, winning just 37 per cent of the points available to him.
His struggles in four-balls, where he has lost eight of the 10 he’s contested, highlights how timid a threat he is.
Another under-the-radar squad member, Johnson’s putting makes him the ideal foursomes’ partner to a big-hitter.
Except that part of his game has tailed off as the season progressed.
Relied on the home crowd to help impose himself on his opponents two years ago, Watson has already stated he won’t be repeating the trick in Scotland.
A combined record of four losses in foursomes and singles play means the two-time Green Jacket wearer will struggle here.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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