Ryder Cup: Three days of the beauty inside a beast

Elemental nature of a match still stretches the world's best beyond their normal limits

It was Ernie Els, the estimable Open champion, who let the cat out of the bag by saying that when it comes to the Ryder Cup, an event with which he has no direct involvement, he will be watching for three days solid. Professional golfers are notorious for abstaining from watching other golf events in their own leisure time but Els shares with many of his compatriots a love of major sporting events, one of the reasons he bases himself at Wentworth during the summer rather than in the United States.

As a neutral, Els' take is interesting. While not wanting to get on the wrong side of many of the American players who have sided with Tiger Woods' lukewarm attitude, Els accurately described why the match has achieved its prominence. "You guys," he told a press conference in Ireland, "seem to really enjoy writing about the Ryder Cup and make it very important, as if the players feel the same way. I don't necessarily think they think the same way as the press about the Ryder Cup. We're all competitive. If I just look at the last one [at Brookline in 1999], at the end of the day you are going to do whatever you can to win. That singles day was some of the best golf you will ever see, the way the American team came back. They were going to do whatever they could to win. I am not saying using the crowd; they just got so excited on the golf course. That's what happened.

"I think that is what makes it so great. That's why it is such a great event. That's why I watch it for three days solid, to see what the guys go through. It seems like most of the guys want to make the team and then when the week comes around, it's one of the hardest weeks of your career. I think the more the players can downplay it, the easier the week will become."

Ultimately, the argument about whether a player would rather win the AmEx World Championship, which concludes at Mount Juliet today, than be in the winning team at the Ryder Cup is irrelevant. Wherever Woods is that week he wants to win. But his lack of inhibition in moaning about everything that goes along with playing in the match is breathtakingly egocentric.

The reason for practice sessions at the Ryder Cup is so that the team can prepare properly, trying out various combinations, rather than a player merely familiarising himself with the course. The reason for attending the Gala Dinner is that it should be a reminder that the players are playing not just for themselves.

There is a responsibility that goes along with the honour of representing your country (and continent) which the current American team are slow to grasp, although that might have something to do with the fact that the States just does not do international team competition, except in minor sports like football.

"Golf is an individual sport," said Phil Mickelson. "We have played it as an individual our entire lives. To think of it as a team sport once every year is a bit unrealistic." Yet in Britain and Europe, golf has always been one of the great team sports, with champions like Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros considering their efforts in the match enhancing their careers.

Curtis Strange, the American captain, has shown a commendable grasp of the intricacies of the event but has perhaps decided he needs to go with the flow. "I want them to think for themselves," Strange said of his players. "I want them to play for themselves. I want them to win for their own personal pride. If they do well, the team do well. To change the whole natural attitude is darn near impossible." It was a feeling at Brookline, when the Americans achieved the greatest come-from-behind victory by overcoming a four-point deficit with stunning golf, that the US players were drawing strength to save their own personal reputations. Basically, they would have been slaughtered had they lost to a little regarded, and virtually unknown – within the States – European team.

The comparison with the President's Cup is instructive. The International team who played in the States in 2000, containing the likes of Els, Vijay Singh, Nick Price and Greg Norman, lost by 11 points in the convivial atmosphere that the Americans insist on calling an exhibition. Yet the Ryder Cup is invariably close, with four of the five matches since the tie in 1989 being decided by a mere point.

By embracing the nature of the beast, the Europeans have continued to punch above their weight even without the great champions of the 1980s and 90s. According to the world rankings, Sam Torrance's team start as underdogs yet again. Only Bernhard Langer is a major champion, the Americans have seven. Only Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington have risen in the world rankings since the match was postponed, but then only David Toms has done so for the States – although Woods and Mickelson remain one and two.

Home advantage will be a factor at The Belfry but more in terms of crowd support – loud, enthusiastic but, it is to be hoped, not as full of abuse as the Bostonians were – rather than the Brabazon course, which should hold no unforeseen terrors for the Americans. There was a time when they could not avoid the water on the 18th but Tom Watson's team put those demons to rest in 1993. Along with the short par-four 10th, however, the hole should still provide plenty of drama.

For Europe to win, and they can, Torrance needs to get something out of faltering senior players like Jesper Parnevik and Lee Westwood, hope Colin Montgomerie can keep together body and soul, have Darren Clarke and Thomas Bjorn provide major contributions along with Garcia and Harrington, and trust the newcomers such as Paul McGinley and Niclas Fasth. Strange has already stated that he will play everyone on the first two days and Torrance is likely to follow suit for two reasons. Without four obvious pairings it makes sense to spread the workload, while not giving someone a run-out prior to the singles almost gives away a point on Sunday, witness Sandelin, Coltart and Van de Velde at Brookline.

Three years on from the 17th green and a year on from the 11 September attacks, the mood should be respectful throughout. But even if there is a slow start, by Sunday we should be in for another classic climax. Who knows who will win? That is the beauty of the event. There is a crowded fence upon which you will find Els sitting. Asked who he wanted to win, he paused, laughed and said: "Golf."