Former captain Tony Jacklin says Ryder Cup result 'difficult to predict'
Englishman, 70, pinpoints inspiration and momentum as key factors for success ahead of tournament
Match-play golf is nigh on impossible to predict and it is flashes of inspiration and key momentum shifts that often decide the destiny of the Ryder Cup, according to former captain Tony Jacklin.
The 70-year-old Englishman, Europe's most successful skipper having registered two wins and one tie in his four matches in charge between 1983 and 1989, says it is the unsung heroes who regularly come to the fore in the biennial clash between Europe and the United States.
"On paper Europe seem very strong this time, but in match play anybody can beat anybody on any given day," Jacklin said.
That's what makes the Ryder Cup great because the teams are invariably well matched and it is unpredictable
"That's the reason why we don't see match-play golf played that much, especially in America. No one wants to see the marquee player beaten on the first day and that can easily happen in that form of the game.
"Looking at it from that standpoint, the Ryder Cup is up for grabs. What you have to try and do is get the momentum on the side of your team because confidence is huge."
Jacklin said rival captains Paul McGinley and Tom Watson could make a real difference with their foursomes and fourballs pairings or by springing an upset with the singles order.
"If you can get certain things to happen for you at certain times during those three days of competition, it can change the whole flow of the match," said the winner of the 1969 British Open and 1970 US Open.
