Will someone please remind me why the United States is considered the favorite every time there’s a Ryder Cup?

Come on, the Europeans own this golf event. The guys from the other side of the Atlantic have won four of the last five, seven of the last 10. Just who is making these crazy odds?

I don’t want to hear that it’s because the Americans are too soft. Or that they can’t handle the pressure. Or that the venue favors the Europeans.

Nope, it’s none of that.

What the Euros have done is simply outplay the Yanks. Why? Hey, maybe they’re better golfers in a Ryder Cup format.

One thing’s for sure. The Europeans certainly seem to partner better. The whole team seems to have a closeness that the Americans don’t come close to matching.

Maybe it’s that being placed in the underdog role every year brings them closer together. Maybe that creates a bond that makes them stronger. That has definitely been the case in some other team sports, such as football, basketball, hockey and even baseball.

If that’s true, then the Americans should be looking ahead to 2006. If they’re considered the favorites then, somebody better give the oddsmakers a urine test.

There was very little positive the Americans could take from this latest debacle. The great Tiger Woods intimidated no one, except maybe for Phil Mickelson, again.

U.S. team captain Hal Sutton played the role well, but his captain’s choices didn’t pay off any better than those of predecessor Lanny Wadkins.

Still, the biggest difference that I could see between the two teams was the putting. The Europeans made them from everywhere. The Americans missed them from everywhere.

The biggest individual winner in this Ryder Cup was probably the excitable and exciting Sergio Garcia. The biggest loser was probably Phil Mickleson.

It was no surprise that Garcia was the life of the party. The young Spaniard has an infectious personality that generates enthusiasm. He’s the Go-Go Kid, wide open and ready to try anything. On top of that, he can golf his ball about as well as anyone in the world.

You can’t help but like Sergio. Yeah, I know, his act gets old to some of the guys he’s beating, but that’s just sour grapes.

There’s nothing malicious in the things Sergio does. He isn’t taunting. He’s celebrating. Nothing wrong with that.

Then, on the other hand, there’s Phil Mickelson. No matter how much you like ol’ smiling Phil, you have to admit that he was the biggest loser at Oakland Hills and I’m not talking about the points.

Mickelson, who had captured the hearts and minds of PGA Tour fans with his resurgence last season and the winning of his first major, came off looking a little dumb in this Ryder Cup.

First, he makes a switch from his Titleist driver and ball to Callaway just a few days before the match. Here’s a guy who had conquered the driving demons and was hitting the ball in the fairways for a change and he’s switching drivers? Come on. Does anyone think he would have done that just before a major championship?

Then he gets to Oakland Hills, skips one day of practice and then plays another course the next day. Is he crazy?

The pairing of Woods and Mickelson for the first two rounds looked like genius on paper. But on the scoreboard it looked like two losses.

Captain Hal was so ticked off that he sat Mickelson down for the morning matches on the second day and Phil temporarily redeemed himself by teaming with David Toms to win a point.

But in Sunday’s match with Sergio, Phil reverted to character. After going 2-up early, he watched Garcia roll in a couple of 20-foot birdie putts to level things and from there on he was on a slide to oblivion. Sergio took charge and Phil couldn’t answer anymore than the Americans could answer the charge by the European team.