ATLANTA (AP) – Johnny Miller doesn’t agree with Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III that this U.S. team is the best “maybe ever assembled.” He still has a hunch the Americans finally will win, mainly because of the European team they are facing.
“I do believe the Euros have got, at least on paper, the worst team they’ve had in many years,” Miller said Saturday at the Tour Championship.
Europe is going after its fourth straight victory – and ninth out of the last 11 – in the Ryder Cup next week in Minnesota at Hazeltine National. Europe has six rookies on its 12-man team. It has never won a Ryder Cup with that many rookies when the matches were in America.
“I just think with all those rookies … when you lose (Ian) Poulter, it’s like tearing your heart out,” Miller said. “I think this is the year not only could the U.S. win, they could win by like five points.”
Poulter led Europe to a record-tying comeback the last time the Ryder Cup was held on U.S. soil, making five straight birdies in a fourballs match Saturday night at Medinah that gave his team hope going into Sunday singles, which it won to overcome a 10-6 deficit.