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Nicklaus backs US in Ryder Cup

05/09/2008

Golf icon Jack Nicklaus has said that he expects the United States to win the Ryder Cup, claiming they have better players than Europe.

Speaking to Golf Digest, the 18-time major winner claimed the US should win at Valhalla even without the world's best player Tiger Woods.

"Even without Tiger, they should win easily. I just believe we have better players," Nicklaus said.

"Europe has a lot of good players and a host of very promising young guys. But who among them has a great record?

"It isn't like the 1987 European team that had [Seve] Ballesteros, [Nick] Faldo, Sandy Lyle, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and Jose Maria Olazabal.

"We probably didn't give them enough credit at the time, but history has proved those guys were great players. It was no accident they won. But there's no reason the US team should lose the Ryder Cup at Valhalla."

Europe are aiming for a fourth straight Ryder Cup victory but will be doing so without a number of experienced players.

Captain Nick Faldo controversially decided to pick Ian Poulter and Paul Casey as his wildcard choices, ahead of Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie.