How come the U.S. can win this thing in their sleep and they continually suck in the Ryder Cup?
Since the early 1980s, Europe and the U.S. have been pretty close in abilities. So I think the randomness factor may explain a lot of results.
Take the last competition. IMO the Euro squad had the better players. Yet the U.S. team won handily. Every other RC since around 1991, IMO the U.S. had the better team. Yet Europe won most of those cups.
It's a 3-day event. The format differs from anything else these guys compete in. On any given day, the 300th ranked player can beat number one. That is even true over a 72-hole tournament.
There isn't that much difference between the two teams now anyway. That statistical randomness in golf, where Tiger can miss the cut at the British Open and 59-year-old Tom Watson comes an inch or so from winning the same event, may acccount for the winners, as much as or more than anything else.