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Of the Ryder Cups that I have listened to on the radio, watched on television or covered for newspapers, this is the first in which Europe are regarded, rightly, as favourites to win in the United States. I believe Europe will do so, perhaps by three points.

There are a number of reasons for this. While Europe have four rookies - one of whom, Justin Rose, won last year’s Order of Merit and could hardly be called inexperienced - there are six men in the US team who have not experienced the tension of this event. It will require several of them to perform like veterans if this is not to be an advantage for Europe.

Next, the US are without Tiger Woods, who has contributed ten victories and two halves from the 25 matches he has played. The world No 1 was the leading points-scorer for his team in 2006. Don’t tell me that a team without him are as strong as one with him.

Then there is the question of form. Europe have more men playing well than the US. In the past 13-week period of the world rankings up to last weekend, Europe players have earned 960 points, the US 660.

Also not to be overlooked is the improvement that Europe’s golfers have made down the years. This team have depth, which has traditionally not been the case.

On occasions, Europe had a team with exceptional players at the top, such as that of 1987. That team, who would win so gloriously at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, contained four men who had won major championships in Nick Faldo, Severiano Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and Sandy Lyle, as well as Ian Woosnam and José MarÍa Olazábal, who would go on to win major championships.

In the era starting with the 1981 match at Walton Heath, Surrey, Europe have often contained players in whom the captain did not have the greatest trust. Tony Jacklin told Gordon J. Brand on the way to Florida in 1983 that he would not be required until the Sunday’s singles and in 1999 Mark James did not have enough confidence in Andrew Coltart, Jarmo Sandelin and Jean Van de Velde to risk them before the last day.

Then there are the world rankings. There has never been a Europe team in which every member was inside the world top 50, as is the case with this one. There probably has not been a US team in which two members have been lower in the world rankings than anyone from Europe, as are J. B. Holmes and Chad Campbell, who are No 56 and No 57 respectively. Oliver Wilson, at No 48, is Europe’s lowest-ranked player.

Jack Nicklaus, no less, recently said that “Europe has a lot of good players, but who among them has a great record?” That is to ignore the very point that has made Europe successful, namely the way in which in this match, if not at other times, their players rise above what is generally considered to be their accepted levels.

The skill of the captains in drawing out the best in their men, their pride in their heritage and team spirit, are reasons for this. Think of Phil Price, ranked No 119 in the world, beating Phil Mickelson in 2002, Costantino Rocca defeating Woods in 1997. Much of the truly heroic play in recent years has also been by Europeans – Faldo getting down in two from 95 yards at Oak Hill in 1995 to beat Curtis Strange on the 18th, for example. Ballesteros’s remarkable three-wood from a bunker in 1983 at Palm Beach Gardens and Christy O’Connor Jr’s two-iron to the 18th at The Belfry in 1989 are two others.

Nicklaus also said that the Americans are under more pressure than the Europeans, with less to gain and more to lose in public perception. After five defeats in the past six matches, the US cannot afford another. Revenue is at stake, never mind pride. This pressure may be a spur, but I think it is more likely to be a handicap.

It will come down to which team hole more putts, which edge those matches that are so close at the end and which can convert the pressure of representing their continent to their own good. My answer to those questions is Europe.