Langer - Europe the favourites

Langer: Celebrating victory at Oakland Hills in 2004

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Bernhard Langer insists Europe will start as clear favourites as they bid for an unprecedented fourth consecutive Ryder Cup victory next week.

Since losing a controversial encounter at Brookline in 1999, Europe have recorded three straight wins - the last two by record nine-point margins.

For that reason, Langer believes Nick Faldo's team holds an edge over their American counterparts going into next week's showdown in Kentucky.

However, the victorious 2004 captain has warned that reputation and expectation count for nothing and admits Paul Azinger and his men are more than capable of ending Europe's winning run.

"I think you have to make them (Europe) favourites just in light of the last few," declared the German.

"We've won three in a row and the last two were landslide victories. If you just go by that they have to be favourites.

"Even if you look at the world rankings now we have more Europeans higher in the rankings than in the past, we've even won majors lately thanks to Padraig Harrington.

"If you look at all that and Tiger (Woods) not being there, I would make the Europeans favourite but what does that mean? Nothing.

"The Americans have been favourites for years and lost so it doesn't matter who we declare as favourites and who are underdogs, it matters who players better, who makes the putts and has more fun."