Elkington Asserts U.S. Has Ryder Cup in Bag

Steve Elkington is an expert on the Presidents Cup because he is an Australian and plays in it.

And now, Elkington is also an expert on the Ryder Cup ... not because he plays in it, but because he knows who is going to win--the U.S. team, and by a lot.

Said Elkington: “They’re going to kick the crap out of the other guys.”

But the Ryder Cup is always so close .... It just doesn’t happen that way, Steve.

Said Elkington: “It’ll happen this year.”

In a surprisingly outspoken assessment of the matches, which begin a month from Saturday at the Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, England, Elkington believes the Europeans simply have too many obstacles to overcome.

To begin with, not enough talent, he said. “They’ve got no chance, depth-wise,” he said. “Every morning, every afternoon in the team format, the U.S. wins three out of the four matches.”

The U.S. team has seven of the top 10 golfers in the Official World Ranking and Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and David Duval are the top three players, but there’s no real, central thread to the Europeans, according to Elkington.

“Their best player, Darren Clarke, strolls along, smoking a cigar. That’s fine, but there’s no [Nick] Faldo or [Ian] Woosnam to grind it out. They don’t have that.”

What’s more, Sam Torrance has two captain’s picks when he really needs four, Elkington says. Torrance is set on choosing Sergio Garcia and probably will pick Jesper Parnevik, which would omit Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

“The biggest problem,” Elkington said.

As for the home-country advantage, Elkington said there is none. He said Europe should have won in 1999 at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass., but captain Mark James blew it when he didn’t stack the deck on Sunday with his top five players going off first.

“You put your best five players on first and you break their necks,” Elkington said.

He believes the U.S. will be focused and united because the crowd at the Belfry is going to be so overboard in its support of the European team.

How does he know this?

“Liquored up at six in the morning, that’s what happens.”

Stay tuned.

More Elkington

In 1986, he was diagnosed as allergic to grass, but Elkington, 39, is not allergic to winning, which he has done 10 times on the PGA Tour, including the 1995 PGA Championship at Riviera.

A national spokesman for Allegra, he is launching an allergy-awareness campaign to help the estimated 80% of golfers in the U.S. who suffer from allergies.

“I’m sort of a poster child for allergy awareness,” he said.

And Wear Caps

The quote of the week is from Woods, after his nearly two-hour, seven-hole playoff victory over Jim Furyk at the NEC Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

Said Woods: “Now I understand why golfers are gray and balding.”

Tiger Update

Woods isn’t playing this week, but he’s back next week at the Bell Canadian Open. So let’s check what’s up.

With his victory Sunday at Firestone Country Club, we know that Woods tied Jack Nicklaus for the most victories before 30, but it should be pointed out that with 29 wins, Tiger is already No. 16 on the all-time list--and he doesn’t turn 26 until Dec. 30.

It’s conceivable Woods could crack the top 10 next year. The 10th position is occupied by Lloyd Mangrum, who had 36. Sam Snead tops the list with 81.

Next in line for Tiger to pass: Leo Diegel (30), Harry Cooper and Jimmy Demaret (31), Horton Smith (32), Tom Watson (34) and Mangrum.

Woods is also enjoying the rewards of his victories. He’s the first person to pass $25 million ($25,989,199) in prize money, which isn’t much of a story since nobody else has passed $20 million.

No, what’s noteworthy is his $8.8-million lead over second-place Davis Love III ($17,185,490).

Woods is in his fifth full year as a pro, Love in his 16th.

Ratings Game

The national ratings for Woods’ victory at the NEC Invitational earned a 7.0 rating on CBS, making it the fourth-highest-rated golf broadcast this year.

The only ones better were the third and fourth rounds of the Masters and the final round of the U.S. Open.

The last hour of playoff coverage of the NEC had an 11.0 national rating, higher than any prime-time program last week except for ABC’s “Primetime” interview with Rep. Gary Condit.

Westwood, Ho!

News item: After hitting three drives so far off line they landed on wrong fairways and after injuring his left wrist, Lee Westwood has to pull out of the NEC.

Reaction: That sound you heard was Torrance banging his head against the wall.

Uh, Write Small?

News item: Callaway Golf introduces the Hawk Eye VFT Tungsten Injected Titanium Irons.

Reaction: Fine, but how are you going to engrave all that on a club head?

Mr. Quotable

Scott Hoch just can’t help himself.

You ask him something and he’s going to tell you exactly what’s on his mind. This is both his charm and his burden.

Imagine how much fun this is going to make the Ryder Cup.

For example:

“Scott, what do you think of London?”

“That’s where they make those fog raincoats, huh? The place with that big clock. Do I hate tea or what?”

You can be reasonably sure that it’s even money at the betting parlors in England on who’s going to lose it first, Hoch or Curtis Strange.

The smart money should be on Hoch, though, because it’s just too easy.

We know Hoch is already getting warmed up.

Last week at the NEC, somebody asked Hoch about the Firestone Country Club course.

Said Hoch: “What a boring layout.”

Of course, Hoch also tied for 21st in a 37-player field.

Economics 101

News item: Newspapers report some grumbling by fans at the NEC Invitational over the high cost of shirts, souvenirs, etc., in the merchandise tent.

Reaction: Don’t buy the stuff.

The Bubba Chronicles

If there was ever a perfect match for the Masters, it’s U.S. Amateur champion Ben “Bubba” Dickerson. Bubba. The Masters. Yes, it’s a match made at the Waffle House.

Dickerson, 20, a junior at Florida, was an unlikely star of last week’s U.S. Amateur at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. Hardly a member of the country club set, the red-haired Bubba with the long sideburns is a muni player from decidedly blue-collar Hilliard, Fla., where his mother carries the mail and his dad sells used cars and parts.

An All-Southeastern Conference player at Florida, Bubba is no longer an unknown, not with the U.S. Amateur title to go along with his victory at the Western Amateur.

And besides the Masters, Bubba earned invitations to play at the U.S. and British opens, where he will learn that sideburns are optional.

News Blackout

News item: Nike issues a media alert after Woods’ victory, including such phrases as “Slump? What slump?” and “The win should also silence those pundits who have been proclaiming Tiger to be in a slump.”

Reaction: Hadn’t heard much from them the last five weeks.

Stop the Presses

News item: “Maximum Golf,” of “Cart Girl of the Month” fame, announces it will cease publishing after its September issue.

Reaction: Since it lasted 14 issues, it was more “Minimum Golf.”

Birdies, Bogeys, Pars

Jeff Quinney, the 2000 U.S. Amateur champion making his PGA Tour debut this week at the Air Canada Championship, signed with Hambric Sports, which also represents rookie Charles Howell III. James Driscoll, runner-up to Quinney at the U.S. Amateur, signed with Wolff Associates and is also playing the Air Canada. And PGA Championship winner David Toms signed a deal with SCG, a communications services company.

Dick Bass, Kermit Alexander, Ann Meyers, Willie Banks, Paul Gonzales, Willie Buchanon and Charlie Jones are expected to play in the Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos celebrity tournament Sept. 7 at Twin Oaks Golf Course. Details: (760) 632-7770.

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The 50th Senior Men’s golf tournament of the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks will be played Oct. 4-5 at Balboa Golf Course and Encino Golf Course. The deadline for entries is Sept. 21. Details: (888) 527-2757 or www.laparks.org .

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Andy Carey, Jeff Severson, Carlos Palomino, Mike Lansford and George Lazenby are expected to play in the United Labor Agency of Orange County celebrity tournament Sept. 10 at Tijeras Creek Golf Course in Rancho Santa Margarita. Details: (760) 632-7770.

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The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity will hold its 16th celebrity tournament Sept. 7 at Montebello Country Club. Details: (323) 293-0770.

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For the first time, ticket sales for the AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am will be limited. Attendance will not exceed 37,500 a day. The 55-year-old tournament will be played Jan. 31-Feb. 3.

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The 14th Moore & Associates charity tournament will be held Sept. 11 at Los Verdes Golf Course in Rancho Palos Verdes. The event benefits the Optimist Youth Homes and Family Services of Highland Park. Details: (310) 326-9383.

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Developer Steve Wynn’s plans for the new $1.3-billion Desert Inn on the Las Vegas Strip call for its famed golf course to remain intact.