Bjorn: We don’t fear any of our American rivals

THERE was a time in the Ryder Cup when an inferiority complex reigned. Some of the all-conquering US players of those lop-sided years would merely have to slip into a colour-co-ordinated V-neck sweater and their more dishevelled rivals from this side of the pond would already feel six-down.

The USA may have an on-form Tiger Woods and a variety of power houses in their line up for this week’s tussle in Paris, but Europe have a few dab hands themselves. In the pre-event muscle-flexing, it’s no surprise that Thomas Bjorn, the European captain, is in a bullish mood.

“We don’t fear anyone because we’ve played against them so many times before individually, but we respect our opponents and know what we are up against,” said the Dane upon arriving at Le Golf National. “That, I think, is key to all this. We’ll go out and do what we can and play our game.

“What stands on the other side we know is one of the strongest American teams of all time. We do what we do as a European team and then we go out and take that on to the golf course – and that’s all 12 Americans. It’s not one individual, it’s the whole team we are up against.”

Bjorn has had his spirits raised by a timely performance from his wild-card pick, Sergio Garcia, in the Portugal Masters at the weekend.

The Spaniard closed with a 65 to post a morale-boosting share of seventh.

“I was pleased for Sergio,” Bjorn said. “I think he felt more than I did that he wanted to get out there and shoot some good numbers and feel good about himself.”