Mickelson talks tough ahead of Ryder Cup

Despite suffering three losses in four outings with the United States Ryder Cup team, Phil Mickelson is still confident that his team has what it takes to win the 37th Ryder Cup at Valhalla Country Club this weekend.

Mickelson, who last tasted Ryder Cup victory at Brookline in 1999, believes that the the United States is more than capable of carrying the form it has shown in the President's Cup through to the Ryder Cup, despite going into the 2008 Ryder Cup without the services of Tiger Woods.

"I don't feel there's a question about that," Mickelson told reporters. "It doesn't mean that we can't come out and play well, and with the help of the crowd and with a golf course that's very well suited for many of our players, have a great week and possibly come out on top.”

Mickelson went so far as to claim that the presence of six rookies in the United States Ryder Cup team could benefit their efforts to win the Ryder Cup at the Valhalla Country Club.

“Just because some guys have not played in this particular event doesn't mean that they are not ready and equipped and have their games ready to play,” Mickelson continued. "Not being a part of the last few US teams is not necessarily a bad thing. So the guys who haven't played, they have never lost this event."