With so many American rookies, past easy to forget

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (AP) -A recurring theme when Paul Azinger huddles with his U.S. team is to forget the past at the Ryder Cup.

He can be sure at least half of them get the message.

Ben Curtis was playing on mini-tours when Phillip Price and Paul McGinley delivered crucial points in Sunday singles to win at The Belfry in 2002, the opening blow in this decade of domination for Europe.

Anthony Kim was still in university when Padraig Harrington dropped one last putt at Oakland Hills to give Europe its biggest rout in 2004.

Boo Weekley?

He doesn't watch much golf on TV, so he might have been in a deer stand with a rifle slung over his shoulder when Darren Clarke provided the inspiration and Sergio Garcia provided most of the points in another record romp for Europe at The K Club two years ago.

They are among six rookies on the American team, the most in nearly 40 years, who have no Ryder Cup experience. Considering what happened the last three times - and in eight of the last 11 Cups dating to 1985 - they might be the Americans' greatest asset.

"Not being a part of the last few U.S. teams is not necessarily a bad thing," said Phil Mickelson, whose best Ryder Cup was his first one in 1995 when he went 3-0. "So the guys who haven't played, they have never lost this event."

It is an eclectic group, for sure.

Steve Stricker is a 41-year-old father of two with impeccable Midwestern manners who has been grinding away at golf for nearly two decades. He won twice on the U.S. PGA Tour the year before Tiger Woods turned pro, plunged into a slump so deep he wondered if he would ever get out, then emerged over the last two years to rise as high as No. 3 in the world ranking.

His greatest thrill in golf was when Azinger called to tell him he was a captain's pick.

"Right at the top," Stricker said. "It's a great opportunity, something that I'll have forever."

Kim is a 23-year-old who grew up in LA and walks with a swagger, assuming he is not weighed down by his garish "AK" belt buckles. His college years at Oklahoma were marred by skirmishes with his coach, but the kid settled down and showed his potential this year, winning the Wachovia Championship and AT&T National at Congressional to become the youngest U.S. rookie since Woods made the team at 21.