U.S. Ryder Cup rookies are not question marks

Late last month, 21-year-old Rory McIlroy made a shocking statement.

"I would love to play (Tiger Woods)," he said. "Unless his game rapidly improves in the next month or so, I think anyone in the European team would fancy his chances against him."

If McIlroy had made this statement a year ago, he'd regret it as much as Tiger regrets the voicemails he left on Jaime Grubbs' cell phone.

"Hey, it's Rory. I have to ask you a huge favor. Could you please take my name off that statement? My team just heard what I said, and they're ready to kill me."

But today's Tiger Woods, the front man of U.S. golf since his teenage days, is no longer feared. McIlory's statement proves this. So with their leader badly wounded, do the Americans stand any chance at all in this year's Ryder Cup?

Yes they do, this year and for years to come.

The reason the United States will win the Ryder Cup on Oct. 3 is rookies. Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson may not be household names right now, but they will be in time. The youngest of the bunch, Fowler, is the most promising talent the PGA Tour has seen since Woods appeared in 1996. He wears all orange on Sundays in honor of his alma mater, Oklahoma State University, which makes him look like an escaped convict while he walks the fairways. Lucky for him, he has the game to back up his flare. Fowler has the talent to win every tournament that plays in and he's proved that, finishing second three times this year.

Kuchar has won nearly $5 million in prize money during 2010, and is leading the race to win the $10 million Fed-Ex Cup prize at the Tour Championship this weekend. He climbed from 62nd in the world rankings in 2009 all the way to the top 10 this year. At 32, he's just now entering his prime. With fat pockets, he's relaxed and ready to play with the best in the world.

Watson, known on tour as just "Bubba," is unique among the Ryder Cup rookies. The left-hander is known as the longest player on the PGA Tour, but he also has the biggest heart. Bubba broke down in tears in front of reporters when they asked him about his wife, Angie, and her scare with pituitary cancer.

"Hopefully you all don't think I'm a sissy," Watson said while sobbing. "You know, I do hit the ball a long way."

If you look past his Florida Panhandle personality and pink driver shaft, you'll see a player that has developed from a long driving side-show freak to an all-around talent ready to win major championships.

So even without Woods at his best, and long-time world No. 2 Phil Mickelson fighting a incurable form of arthritis, I'm confident in this year's team. I think U.S. team captain Corey Pavin is, too. Don't be surprised, come Sunday of the Ryder Cup, if the rookies are playing in the deciding matches while the veterans are cheering them on from off the putting greens

Contact staff writer Zak Kozuchowski at zak.kozuchowski@richmond.edu