The Ryder Cup matches begin on Friday at Gleneagles Resort in Auchterarder, Scotland, and the Europeans are favored over the United States. Again. This is not just home-course advantage.

The Europeans will send out four of the world’s top six golfers – No. 1 Rory McIlroy, No. 3 Sergio Garcia, No. 4 Henrik Stenson and No. 6 Justin Rose. That was enough for Ladbroke’s to position the Euros as 2-5 favorites.

The U.S. team is a bit more of a puzzle. Captain Tom Watson assembled a group that can be called interesting and potentially dynamic, but also flawed.

Rather than choose some of the players playing the best golf – even if they emerged suddenly as superstars, as did Billy Horschel – Watson chose Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson and Hunter Mahan. Horschel didn’t make it, despite winning the FedEX Cup. Nor did Deutsche Bank champ Chris Kirk.

Bradley, Simpson and Mahan combined for one win on this season’s PGA Tour. Phil Mickelson has rarely been a factor in this competition but he earned his way onto the team.

The U.S. will need strong play from some of its more youthful members – Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed and Jimmy Walker, all taking part in this event for the first time, if they’re to turn a prevailing tide.

This competition is held every two years and Team Europe has won the last two and five of six. The U.S. hasn’t won overseas since 1993.

Today’s question

The Ryder Cup: Do you even care?

Answers in the comment box, please.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman .