Jeff Maggert has a 4-3-0 record in two previous Ryder Cup competitions.

"Let's face it, we've got the 12 best players in the world, and if they just go out and play golf and hit golf shots, it's hard to mess up putting two guys together," Maggert said Tuesday before the first full day of Ryder practice.

Maggert's remark echoed the 1967 speech given at a team dinner by U.S. captain Ben Hogan, who said his men were "the finest golfers in the world" before his team went out and beat Great Britain 23½-8½.

The "best in the world" brag failed U.S. captain Raymond Floyd at the 1989 matches at The Belfry. Europe tied the United States 14-14 in those matches to retain the Cup and extend its hold on the trophy to six years.

Maggert said he respected the opposition but could not help feeling the U.S. team featuring top-ranked Tiger Woods, David Duval (2), Davis Love III (4), Payne Stewart (8), Hal Sutton (10), Mark O'Meara (11), Justin Leonard (12) and Phil Mickelson (13) was the very best.

"I think all 12 of us on our team think we're the best players in the world," said Maggert, winner of the World Match Play Championship earlier this season.

Still, Maggert, a member of losing U.S. teams in 1995 and 1997, knows that matches are not played on paper.

"You can analyze what's happened in the last six months and say these guys are the better players that have played better," Maggert said. "But every day's a new day in this game. And right now they have the Cup and we want it back."

Fearsome foursome
Ryder Cup captains have been known to mix up their practice round pairings to keep people -- and especially the opponent -- guessing about what the matchups might be when the tournament begins.

But maybe Crenshaw was showing his sense of humor when he sent Woods, Duval, Mickelson and O'Meara off the first tee on Tuesday morning.

What do the four have in common? They're the ones who complained earlier this summer about the lack of payment for Ryder Cup play. Although the PGA of America will take in an estimated $63 million from the event, players get a $5,000 stipend.

Woods said he would give his share to charity. But he said it should be up to the player to decide what to do with the money.