Recent European form gives Faldo the edge

By Murray Urquhart

Published:

THE happiest man in golf this week? Not Padraig Harrington. Nick Faldo takes the mantle as the man with the widest grin in the game.

Harrington’s second successive major victory, at the US PGA championship on Sunday, sent out a clear message. The Irishman has the best coach in the world in Bob Torrance but, crucially, does his best work on improving the things which matter most to his game.

Any number of professionals can lay claim to being the hardest-working golfer in the business, but too many work too hard on the things which do not matter the most.

We would all like to be able to walk on the beach with muscles rippling, but does such conditioning make for a better golfer?

Harrington’s swing is grooved, and he also has incredible mental strength. Put the two of those together and you have the best in the business currently playing the game.

Ryder Cup captain Faldo’s delight as the competition draws ever closer will have been tempered somewhat by the loss of Englishman Luke Donald, who is out for the rest of the year because of wrist surgery on an injury picked up during the US Open.

There is no doubting Donald is a cup captain’s dream, relentlessly straight off the tee and by all accounts a great team player.

But Faldo now has such a deep talent pool he can cope with the loss of the Englishman.

Can the American captain Paul Azinger say the same? All year the man called Zinger has been saying he wants players in form to make his team.

Suddenly, the Americans have gone very quiet, with their leading players struggling to make much of an impression lately.

I make the Europeans as more than strong favourites to retain the cup, but a word of caution. The mutterings from across the pond are the crowd are going to be at their vocal worst and Faldo will be keen to avoid any momentum going to Azinger’s team.

But Faldo can call on players who have performed at the highest level on all sorts of courses and in vastly different conditions.

He is the captain, but will have a team full of leaders when Valhalla rolls around.

For that reason I cannot see the Americans upsetting the odds and taking the cup back.