US Team / Paul Krishnamurty / 03 September 2008 /

Paul Azinger will be concerned at how some of the big names have struggled this year but encouraged by the form of his young guns, says Paul Krishnamurty.

Phil Mickelson

Ryder Cup Record: 11 points from 25 matches.

In terms of points won, Mickelson holds the best Ryder Cup record of anyone in the US team, but most were earned in the first three of his five appearances. He only managed one half from five matches in 2006, and will need to improve dramatically if his team are to have a chance of regaining the trophy. With Tiger Woods absent, Mickelson must take over the mantle of 'team leader' and looks certain to play all five matches.

Recent US captains have struggled to find a suitable partner for Mickelson, who has won only one of his last seven pairs matches in the event. The only players to forge successful partnetships with Mickelson in recent matchplay events, David Toms and Chris Dimarco, are both absent this time.

By his own high standards, 2008 has only been moderately successful. Lefty has won two PGA Tour titles, but underperformed in the majors and hasn't really fired as the summer has worn on. On the positive side, reports suggest Valhalla will suit his attacking style down to the ground.

Jim Furyk

Ryder Cup Record: 7 points from 20 matches.

Consistent over the past decade, the 2003 US Open champion has won a fortune, if not perhaps as many titles as he should. His record in individual matchplay events is uninspiring though, as is a 35% strike rate in the Ryder Cup. And like most of his team-mates, 2008 hasn't been his best year by any means.

Nevertheless, in a side containing six debutants, Furyk's experience makes him a pivotal player who will be expected to play the maximum number of matches. That experience, and his steady, accurate game could be the perfect foil for inexperienced bombers like Antony Kim or JB Holmes in fourballs.

Stewart Cink

Ryder Cup Record: 5 points from 12 matches.

Cink was the only American to emerge with any credit last time at the K Club, winning half the available points to finish as his country's top scorer. This will be the 35 year-old Alabaman's fourth Ryder Cup, making him a senior player in a young team.

In the first half of 2008, Cink was an almost permanant contender in PGA Tour events, winning the Travellers Championship, but he's slipped back somewhat since July.

Kenny Perry

Ryder Cup Record: 0 points from 2 matches.

After two decades as little more than a PGA Tour journeyman, Perry has defied the ageing process to peak in his late forties. At 48, he is the oldest player on either side. This will be his second Ryder Cup, having lost both matches on his debut in 2004.

He enjoyed a brilliant spell in the early summer, winning three PGA Tour titles, but is another whose more recent form must be a great cause of concern to Azinger. Valhalla will revive some bad memories for Perry, who lost a play-off for the 1996 USPGA there after doing television interviews as the assumed winner.

Antony Kim

Ryder Cup Record: Debutant

Arguably the most exciting young talent in world golf. Two wins on championship courses Quail Hollow and Congressional have prompted comparisons with Tiger Woods, and beyond such hype it seems certain that he will be a mainstay of the US Ryder Cup side for decades to come. This is only Kim's second year on the PGA Tour, so top-10 on the money list represents remarkable progress.

Kim looks set to make a serious impact at Valhalla, a course that should suit his big-hitting game. Inexperience hasn't been an issue in the prestigious events he's played to date, so the 23 year-old from LA could well turn out to be the player Europeans fear most.

Ben Curtis

Ryder Cup Record: Debutant

Curtis snatched an automatic qualification place in the last counting event when sharing 2nd place in the USPGA. His main claim to fame is producing arguably the greatest upset ever in a Major championship to win the 2003 British Open at Sandwich, but since then he's shown that wasn't a complete fluke.

In fact, he's a much improved player since Sandwich, and has now won three titles. There will be few if any better putters on display at Valhalla. And unlike most of his team-mates, Curtis can boast good form going into the event, with a series of top-10s in big events since May.

Justin Leonard

Ryder Cup Record: 2.5 points from 8 matches.

Former Open champ Leonard returns to the Ryder Cup after a nine year absence thanks to his best season in a long time. Along with Mickelson and Furyk, he is one of only three US players who have been part of a winning Ryder Cup side.

That experience makes him an asset, but his tournament record is nothing to write home about. Leonard is yet to win a Ryder Cup match from eight attempts, though he will at least be remembered for holing an enormous putt to effectively secure the last US win at Brookline in 1999.

Boo Weekley

Ryder Cup Record: Debutant

Weekely very much departs from the cariacature of the pampered prima-donna US player who sees representing his country as a chore rather than a privilege. While most of his compatriots wouldn't touch the World Cup with a bargepole, Boo travelled to China with fellow nobody Heath Slocum last November and very nearly landed an unlikely win.

Having climbed the golfing ladder via the Nationwide Tour, his first two seasons in the big-time have yielded conscutive titles at the Heritage Classic.

Steve Stricker

Ryder Cup Record: Debutant

The oldest of six debutants, Stricker earned a wildcard after narrowly missing the automatic places. Formerly a regular contender back in the 1990s, he completely lost the plot in the first half of this century, fighting a long struggle with form and fitness. Since a surprise return to form a couple of summers ago, Stricker has gone from strength to strength and enjoyed his best ever season in 2007 to finish 4th on the Money List.

In the first phase of his career, Stricker showed he likes this format when winning a WGC Matchplay title, and his experience could be invaluable in such a young side.

Hunter Mahan

Ryder Cup Record: Debutant

Though widely regarded as one of the best young US players, Mahan's selection for a wild-card was no certainty after some embarrassing remarks in an interview. Mahan unwittingly exposed the mindset that has cost recent US Ryder Cup sides dear in a recent interview, claiming the unpaid US players were 'slaves' for the week.

If he plays well all will be forgotten. However if the US lose badly again, Mahan could become a target for criticism. He's certainly talented enough to put the episode behind him, but its hardly the ideal situation for a debutant.

Chad Campbell

Ryder Cup Record: 2 points from 6 matches

Campbell was nowhere near the qualification mark, but earned a wildcard thanks to a series of solid recent performances. On his best form, Campbell has looked a world-beater, most memorably when thrashing world-class opposition to win the 2003 Tour Championship and 2004 Bay Hill Invitational. He has won a couple of titles since then, but generally has failed to live up to early expectations.

He made little impact in either of the last two humiliating Ryder Cup defeats, winning a third of his available points.

JB Holmes

Ryder Cup Record: Debutant

Another of Azinger's four wild-card selections, it would appear Holmes has been selected because of his prodigious driving distance. There is little rough at Medinah, which should favour his huge-hitting, all or nothing approach. Holmes could make the ideal fourball partner for a contrasting short-hitting accurate type like Furyk or Leonard.

JB has won two PGA titles, but question marks were raised about his 'bottle' after completely losing the plot when leading the recent USPGA.

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