Garcia warns USA ‘you don’t win Ryder Cups with your mouth’

CHASKA (UNITED STATES): Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy fired up European passions Tuesday at the Ryder Cup, taking exception to US captain Davis Love’s contention that his Americans might be the best team ever.

“At the end of the day, you don’t win Ryder Cups with your mouth,” Garcia said. “You win them out there on the golf course and that’s where we’ll see which team is the best.”

European teams have won three consecutive Ryder Cups, seeking an unprecedented fourth in a row this week at Hazeltine, while the Americans have lost six of the past seven and eight of 10.

But Love felt confident enough in his roster last Friday to tell a golf radio interviewer, “We’re a great team. This is maybe the best golf team ever assembled.”

Love said his words were “misconstrued,” that he only said that was what he would say to motivate his team, but then wouldn’t say what he would tell his team Friday.

His earlier words added inspiration for a Europe side not lacking for it already.

“They are pretty much motivating factors,” Garcia said. “You know what they say opinions are like -- we all have one. Everybody is allowed to have their own opinions. That’s what they think. We know what we have.”

World number three McIlroy, Europe’s top-ranked player, is coming off a victory at the US PGA’s season-ending Tour Championship. It brought $1.5 million plus a $10 million season points bonus he swiped from the pocket of US Cup rival Dustin Johnson, the US Open champion ranked second in the world.

McIlroy tossed his own barbs at the US notion of Ryder Cup supremacy before Friday’s opening tee shots. “I’ve followed everything and I’ve had a bit of fun with it, the task force and greatest team ever assembled and whatever else they are talking about,” McIlroy said.