Garcia and Westwood bid for third consecutive success

After telling us that Sergio Garcia might be a big letdown this weekend, our stat-munching friends at Chickendinner have analysed the chances of the leading contenders to be the Ryder Cup’s Top European. Here’s why things are looking good for Englishmen Lee Westwood and Paul Casey:

Sergio Garcia (Ryder Cup Record: W14 L4 H2)
Alongside Lee Westwood, Garcia was Europe’s top points scorer in 2004 and 2006 and his 75% Ryder Cup win percentage is the greatest of any golfer ever who has contested 15 or more matches. However, our article here suggests a number of reasons why he may underperform this year.

Padraig Harrington (W7 L8 H2)
The Irishman has been the star of 2008 in Tiger Woods’ absence and won both the Open and the PGA Championship. Harrington was a star performer four years ago when the Ryder Cup was last held in America, winning four of his five matches. He flopped when the Ryder Cup was held in Ireland two year ago though, claiming just a half from five matches.

Lee Westwood (W14 L8 H3)
The Englishman has been Europe’s joint-top points scorer in 2004 and 2006 but unlike the player he tied with, Sergio Garcia, Westwood has gone undefeated over the two tournaments. His run of ten matches without defeat leave him in touching distance of Arnold Palmer’s record 12 match unbeaten streak.

Henrik Stenson (W1 L1 H1)
The Swede made the putt that won Europe the 2006 Ryder Cup in his singles match with Vaughn Taylor although that was the only one of three encounters that Stenson won. However this has been his most successful year yet in the majors – finishing joint-third at the Open and joint-fourth at the PGA Championship.

Paul Casey (W3 L1 H2)
The English wildcard was unbeaten at the 2006 Ryder Cup and became the only player in Ryder Cup history to win a foursome match with a hole-in-one. Casey also holds the distinction of being the only golfer in the world to have made the cut at every major over the last two years.

Robert Karlsson (W0 L1 H2)
Debutants aside, Karlsson is the only European at this year’s Ryder Cup that hasn’t previously won a match although his singles loss in 2006 was against Tiger Woods and he halved his two other contests. This year the Swede was one of eleven players who made the cut in every major and of those players his overall score was second only to Padraig Harrington.

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