IF RYDER CUP wild cards are any indication of the teams’ strengths, the Americans face a hiding. Last week, as the two captains added their choices for this month’s match at Valhalla, the joke was that Nick Faldo was picking two from four, and Paul Azinger four from two. There was drama about Faldo’s selections, but Azinger could have closed his eyes and stuck a pin in the world rankings.

Faldo’s dilemma suggested strength in depth. On the face of it, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey will be useful additions. Most remain to be convinced that Darren Clarke was not a better option than Poulter, but the Englishman is more than capable of contributing. Casey has the form and length to be an asset round Valhalla, as well as the adventure to make the most of matchplay.

Azinger had a limited choice. Steve Stricker is the world No 8, but the other three are not in his league. Neither JB Holmes nor Chad Campbell is in the world’s top 50 and more competition would doubtless have squeezed out Hunter Mahan.

That Azinger had such weak options might be seen as vindication of the qualifying system he put in place. He had no obvious choices because the eight best men were already in his team. The Europeans have no room for Clarke or Colin Montgomerie, but Azinger has not had to leave out any heavyweights. The injured Tiger Woods must be his only regret, and he could do nothing about that.

In theory, Europe are stronger. Their players have won 41 Ryder Cup matches, lost 27 and halved 12, while the Americans’ record reads 19-37-17. It will be the first time all 12 European players have been inside the world’s top 50. They have four rookies, while America have six. Experience, though, can be misleading. Stricker, Holmes, Mahan, Anthony Kim, Ben Curtis and Boo Weekley have no Ryder Cup, experience, but neither have they experienced defeat, something recent US teams have suffered consistently.

By standing down Clarke and Montgomerie, Faldo is denying his team its most intimidating players. The onus is on Padraig Harrington, who was disappointing two years ago.

Maybe that is what Jack Nicklaus means when he backs America. “I just believe we have better players,” he says. “Europe has a lot of good players but who among them has a great record?”

There is less between the sides than recent history suggests. America, like Europe, have three players from the world’s top 10, and six from the top 20. Even Holmes, arguably Azinger’s weakest link, could turn the match. A huge hitter prone to 85s and 65s in equal measure, he might just get away with it, especially in the fourballs.

If Holmes and another local boy, Kenny Perry, can ignite the blue-collar Kentucky crowd, Faldo will have his work cut out.