The American’s have a 10-6 lead over the Europeans, and that is one heck of a big deficit.  This deficit has only been overcome one other time and that was in 1999 at the Country Club in Brookline Mass.  Team USA has not won the Ryder Cup yet, and there are a few very important singles matches that are going to be determining factors on Team USA’s victory.

1. The First Four Matches Together:  Team Europe put out its big guns first and are hoping for a 4-0 sweep over the Americans to get this match back to even.  With Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Rory McIlroy, and Justin Rose starting the first four matches Jose is hoping to knock some heads together early, and get the momentum going their way for a comeback at Medinah.
2. Bubba Watson vs Luke Donald:  The first match can set the tone of the singles matches.  Bubba is emotional and he is playing the only player in the field (European or American) that calls Chicago his own.  Oh and he was the #1 player in the world until just recently, so he is going to put down one heck of a fight.  We all know that there is no coincidence that Captain Jose put out Luke Donald first to try to get the Europeans motivated with a win in the first match.
3. Rory McIlroy vs Keegan Bradley:  I think everyone was hoping to see a Tiger Woods and Rory McIlory Sunday match, but at this point neither star on either team has played really really well.  In this match today at Medinah I give the edge to Keegan Bradley over World #1.  Keegan is the American version of Sergio Garcia.  Young and Fiery and spreading his love for this event like wild fire.  This match may be the most important early on because if Keegan can keep up his great play and keep Rory under his big Boston boot, we are going to have the crowd into it and that can be a dangerous and depressing feeling for team Europe.
4. Nicolas Colsaerts vs Dustin Johnson: The big hitters club.  Colsaerts has been playing well all week, and putting like a mad man.  DJ has been ridding his partner for the most part, but stepped it up for Team USA late in the day on Saturday to take a one up lead on 17 and then put the pressure on Colsaerts on 18.  These two will remember that putt on 17:  DJ that he made it and it secured at least a 1/2 point to Team USA, and Colsaerts will remember the swaggering American strutting up to the 18th tee box.  Medinah is said to be a hitters course, and these are the two biggest hitters out there, I am glad we are going to see them go toe to toe.
5. Match 23, 24, and 25:  The likes of G-mac vs ZJ, Sergio vs Furyk, and Hanson vs Dufner is going to be the match that secures it or looses it for either team.  These matches are far enough down the line that even with a few losses one of these Americans is going to have the putt that wins the Ryder Cup for Team USA.  I would be happy to watch any of these matches come out in Red White and Blue and the ultimate victory for the Americans.

Sunday’s singles is typically dominated by the Americans, but we have to stay sharp, stay hungry and take down the big European guns early on if we are going to win the Ryder Cup.  I am very excited and just about to head up to Medinah.  I cannot wait to sport my 13th man voice to the crowd, and I hope I get sprayed with champagne later this evening while chanting USA USA USA.