• Out of Bounds

It's not all rosy in Monty's garden

Rory McIlroy has stirred debate by putting personal glory before team success © Getty Images

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It's just over a week until the Ryder Cup starts, Lee Westwood is swinging a club again and Padraig Harrington is stepping foot on a course in Europe. Things look good for Colin Montgomerie as, player for player, he has a stronger band of men than his US counterpart Corey Pavin can call on.

But, for the first time Out of Bounds can remember, it does seem that USA look more like a team than Europe. The Europeans' success in the event in recent year has been built on the back of an indomitable team spirit, a will to win, a determination to go the extra mile to help and support your team-mates.

You look back to 1997 when it appeared there were dozens of Seve Ballesteroses zooming round the course on a buggy, inspiring Europe to victory at Valderrama, or the scenes of joy on the faces of players and supporters alike following victory at the K Club in 2006. On those occasions it seemed that European spirit triumphed over American quality.

But this year, it seems that the spirit is not quite there. That may change in the final days before the tournament gets underway, but at present there is a disjointed feel to the side.

Captain Colin Montgomerie was in what looked an enviable position of having to select from an embarrassment of riches, but as such he had to leave out a couple of big players - namely Paul Casey and Justin Rose. The reasons behind their omissions have been covered to death, but you get the impression there is a split in the camp.

Graeme McDowell said on Monday that "there's a couple of players who really deserve to make the team, Paul Casey and Justin Rose being two of those guys." He went on to add that "unfortunately we just ran out of space this year, [and] guys played their way on to the team like Peter Hanson and Edoardo Molinari."

Colin Montgomerie may have to plan some bonding exercises © Getty Images

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Much could have been made of McDowell's comments and even if it may be stretching it to say he feels Hanson and Molinari should not be in the team, it is clear the US Open champion would have been happier to see Casey and Rose stood alongside him at next week's opening ceremony.

If that's not enough, we've had Rory McIlroy - less than a fortnight before the competition begins - claiming "if somebody asks me whether I'd rather sink the winning putt in the Ryder Cup or win a major, it's the major every day. World championship or Ryder Cup? Win a world championship. At the end of the day you're going to be remembered for what you achieve in an individual sport. When I was a kid growing up practising I never had a putt to win the Ryder Cup. I always had a putt to win the Masters or the Open - it's just the way I feel."

McIlroy was clearly asked to express his opinion and for much of the year golf is an individual sport, but it just adds weight to the feeling that Europe are not as united as in previous years.

And all the while, the USA team appears to be drifting along nicely under the radar. The will-he-won't-he play saga surrounding Tiger Woods was answered in the affirmative earlier in the month and the world No. 1, a player with a Ryder Cup record that does not match his ability, has made positive noises about playing a part in retaining the trophy.

The selection of Rickie Fowler was seen as the controversial pick by captain Corey Pavin, but it has been well received by players and pundits alike.

Pavin is doing a good job of portraying his side as underdogs; on paper they are, but it could be that he is playing a canny game of allowing the opposition to hog the spotlight and make their own mistakes.

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