Will Europe win the Ryder Cup again?

Three days of scintillating competition will dominate our screens again this weekend as the pick of Europe's golfers take on the United States in Valhalla, looking to win the Ryder Cup for the ninth time in the last 11 clashes.

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For the first time I can remember, Europe are actually the bookmakers' favourites to win the trophy on foreign soil. Bet365 make them 10/11 to win it outright (a 14-14 tie will see the Cup retained but that does not count as a win for the bookies), while the US are 11/10 and the tie is 11/1.

Traditionally, home advantage is massive in Ryder Cups, but such has been Europe's dominance in recent times that even that does not seem likely to stop Nick Faldo's team from winning the trophy again.

I have been listening to everyone saying that the US will win because they are at home and they are underdogs with a massive point to prove. But, quite frankly, that is rubbish as Europe's team is better in terms of rankings and in terms of experience and team spirit.

The US are without Tiger Woods and while the world number one has never revelled in the Ryder Cup in the way the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sergio Garcia and Colin Montgomerie have, he still topped their scoring last time, so he will be missed.

Phil Mickelson always looks like he would rather be anywhere else than at the Ryder Cup and though they have some good match players in the likes of Justin Leonard and Stewart Cink, and a great young player in Anthony Kim, they also have six rookies, which is probably too many.

Europe, by contrast, have the likes of Garcia, Lee Westwood, Open and US PGA Champion Padriag Harrington, Justin Rose, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter, not to mention Miguel Angel Jimenez and Robert Karlsson, all of whom are right at the top of their games.

The rookies, Oliver Wilson, Rose, Soren Hansen and Graeme McDowell, are all playing equally well, so I don't see any problems with them handling the pressure.

Home advantage used to be a much bigger deal in the US, when Europe's players did not see or play alongside their counterparts from across the pond outside of the four majors. Now, though, they are with them week in, week out, so the pressure and intimidation factors are much reduced.

Europe's real strength lies in their team spirit and that translates itself into dominance of the fourballs and foursomes, the format of play used over the first two days. They probably need to establish a lead going into the final day's singles, but as they proved in 2004 and 2006, they are also much better at singles now than ever before.

Faldo is a winner and I can't see anything other than a Europe win, probably by three or four points, so back them at 11/10 outright and at 7/4 with Paddy Power giving up 2.5 points.

Cambers' Call
Europe to beat United States in 2008 Ryder Cup - 11/10 bet365
Europe -2.5pts to beat United States in 2008 Ryder Cup - 7/4 bet365

Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.