It is an odd thing to say about a country that has won 24 and lost only ten of the biennial contests but, having been defeated in four of the past five Ryder Cups, the United States believe they must win this week for the sake of the competition’s future.

After Europe’s victory at the K Club in Co Kildare, Ireland, in 2006, an official of the PGA of America posed a question. With a sense of frustration in his voice, he asked what was thought necessary for the US team to stop losing? Soon came the first evidence of the desire to end this doleful run.

Paul Azinger, the newly appointed captain, announced that changes had been made to the selection system. Azinger was to have four wild-card picks instead of two. Also, the points counting towards Ryder Cup places would be greater in 2008 than in 2007 and the points awarded in this year’s major championships would be greater than in other tournaments. Thus, the players who performed well in the big events would get greater rewards.

Within a few days, we will know how successful Azinger has been. Campaigning for the presidential election is well under way and the country’s financial woes have been matched by the severity of this year’s hurricanes. Now comes the Ryder Cup and the galling prospect for many on this side of the Atlantic of watching a team from Europe flying in and assuming the role of favourites against a team shorn of Tiger Woods, the world No 1, who is recovering after surgery to his left knee.

How the world has changed. In 1991, there was so little interest in this event that the PGA of America practically gave away the television rights. In 2005, in contrast, NBC announced that it had extended its Ryder Cup deal through to 2014. In 2006, people in more than 30 countries and territories saw all or part of the Ryder Cup live, while this year it will be aired in five times that number.

“With all the coverage we’ve had, the Ryder Cup matches have become one of the top three hottest properties in all golf for TV,” Johnny Miller, the NBC golf commentator and former US Open champion, said. “We’ve been blessed with great matches and great emotions, people crying, jumping, dancing, singing. I mean the stuff that goes on at a Ryder Cup, you wouldn’t, if you had a bunch of paid actors, pull it off the way these guys do because of the raw emotion.”

But one thing is certain. The attraction of this event will begin to pall among sports fans in the US if another thumping loss is received in Louisville this weekend. Americans have taken to the emotion of the Ryder Cup as well as anyone and Miller is right to highlight that aspect of this thrilling event. But in doing so he raises a question: what if the US continue to lose? How much enthusiasm will there be for the event then?