The Euros Begin Their Ryder Cup Race

At the time I'm penning this, the very last round of the M2M Russian Open hasn't all started -- Lee Slattery has a -stroke lead, in case you're fascinated -- however it's going to probably be underway by the time you examine this submit

However, the M2M Russian Open is not a huge occasion. It does not have an all-megastar subject. It does not have a massive purse.

What it DOES have are the first Ryder Cup factors to be awarded to European Tour gamers.

Now, right here in America which could sound a chunk peculiar. For example, Jordan Spieth already has five,306.789 factors (he's our main points getter to this point) after 8 activities. Dustin Johnson is in 2d location with 2,396.366 points. I do not declare to recognize why we have factors calculated to 3 decimal points, however there it is. My point is that we've already been awarding Ryder Cup factors for quite a while now.

Yet the European team -- which most Americans believe eat, drink and sleep Ryder Cup -- is only beginning to award points this week. And when you realize that several of the events coming up are Race to Dubai playoffs -- which means only certain European players will compete -- it becomes clear that the Europeans approach Ryder Cup qualifying much differently than we do in America.

Is there any evidence that one approach yields a better team than the other? Not necessarily. Although the Euro team has played better over the last few Ryder Cups, I think that's just a matter of the US team wanting it too much. But it does raise an interesting question: Do you get a better team by accruing points over a longer period or a shorter period?

And right here's something else to bear in mind.

• The Ryder Cup European Points List only provides four of the participants. Another five come from the Ryder Cup World Points List, which is based on OWGR points gained globally, and the other three are Captain Darren Clarke's wild card picks.
• The US Ryder Cup Points List is based totally on the PGA Tour Official Money List (one point for each $1000) with an early focus on the majors. Nine players come from that, and the other three from Captain Davis Love's picks.

Perhaps the US team might want to put more value on having team members who play around the world rather than just on the PGA Tour. Perhaps playing on a variety of course conditions in many countries might be better preparation for an international competition Wherein half of the events are played in different nations on a whole lot of path conditions.

Especially because this plan of attack hasn't helped the US crew very a great deal, even if playing on our very own turf.

And perhaps that's why the Euro team takes five of its members from the OWGR, which includes events played in other parts of the world where their own tour doesn't go, and only four members from events played on its own tour -- which is also why they can afford to accrue points over a shorter time and begin at a smaller venue like the M2M Russian Open.

I'm just announcing...