Tiger and Furyk Lose at Ryder Cup

Sergio Garcia may not win many big tournaments on the PGA Tour, but this European stud is always on the mark at the Ryder Cup and he was again in the 2006 event.

What is it about U.S. professional golfers? Put them in checkered sweater vests, tell them they're representing their country at the Ryder Cup, and they wilt, like 90-year-old ladies on a humid summer day.

It doesn't matter who it is, either. Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, Phil Michelson, you name the top five player, and his game goes south faster than migrating birds with a stiff wind at their tails.

Conversely, you tell Sergio Garcia, who is the PGA's best version of the fat wallflower at the ball, that he's playing at the Ryder Cup, and he morphs into Jack Nicklaus, Arnie Palmer, and Ben Hogan, at the drop of the proverbial hat.

Garcia is 8-0 on day one at the Ryder Cup, after another stellar opening day in the 2006 version of the event, played in Straffan, Ireland. His perfection is unrivaled in this competition, even by Tiger.

For their part, Woods and Furyk, paired against Garcia and and Luke Donald, often looked like Sunday afternoon hackers, spraying balls everywhere and missing more putts than I might. For the coup de grace, Furyk launched an errant shot into the water on 18, closing out the day for the world's top two golfers.

How is it, I wonder, that guys like Woods and Furyk, who make more clutch shots on golf's biggest stages than the rest of the PGA combined, can't drop a few putts and keep their balls dry, when they wear the USA sweaters?

And why do the Europeans, who couldn't win a pro-am at an open track on the PGA Tour, kick the Americans around like soccer balls at the Ryder Cup.

I just can't figure this out.

I say it's time to step up to the plate, though, (excuse the baseball metaphor in a golf piece). America's best need to represent in their usual manner.

Make a few putts, hit some straight fairway woods and dump the lame "I just made a bad swing," routine.

You're representing America against Europe, for crying out loud. You're better players than they are, period!

It's time you guys act like it.