While nobody present at the War on the Shore at Kiawah Island in 1991 or Brookline eight years later would wish the Ryder Cup to descend to such levels again, the absence of needle in this year's version has been disappointing. Sure, many of the fourballs and foursomes over the first two days were closely contested, but they have been played in a spirit of impeccable sportsmanship.

That's as it should be, I hear some of you mumble, but come on: what makes the Ryder Cup an exceptional sporting contest is controversy and incident.

Much of what we witnessed on the first two days was akin to an exhibition football match in which the players were trying their hardest, but pulling out of tackles.

For this I blame the Americans. The Europeans have been in control of proceedings from the moment Tiger Woods gave them the initiative by sending the opening drive of the match into the water. Had the positions been reversed, I suspect we would be watching a much less good-tempered contest.

The European side, to a man, hate to lose. Put in a corner, they'd be prepared to fight and scratch their way out. Much of this American side, by contrast, couldn't punch their way out of the proverbial paper bag.

It's customary for oldtimers to accuse future generations of being soft, but Corey Pavin, one of the US vice-captains, must be privately aghast at how tamely the American flag has been lowered. Pavin displayed gross bad taste at Kiawah Island in 1991 when he appeared on the opening day wearing a Desert Storm cap (the first Gulf War had not long ended), thus setting the tone for the unpleasant jingoism which was to follow.

But that lapse of judgement apart, the short hitter was a fierce competitor who epitomised all the fighting qualities required to succeed at match play.

After years in the wilderness, Pavin won again on the PGA Tour in July . . . further evidence that he is a battler.

How many of this American team could describe themselves similarly? Unwittingly, the man who chose Pavin to be his vice-captain, Tom Lehman, may have set the tone for the American team's lack of fight. Understandably keen to put his own role at The Brookline behind him (he was one of the players who prematurely invaded the 17th green after Justin Leonard holed a monster putt in his singles match against Jose Maria Olazabal) he has been the epitome of politeness and decency, never missing an opportunity to defend his opposite number Ian Woosnam or praise the Europeans.

But ultimately it's his players who lack the steel of so many of their predecessors.

The on-course leadership expected of Woods did not materialise, and once the world No 1 started walking around with the demeanour of a man in the close vicinity of a very unpleasant smell, those under him ran for cover.

Excused from this criticism are Jim Furyk, who had to carry Woods for the opening day and did not deserve the error of judgement which allowed Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood to escape with a half in the afternoon foursomes, and perhaps Chris DiMarco . . . although his desire to win hasn't been matched by his play.

Two of the rookies, JJ Henry and Zach Johnson, can also be reasonably proud of their debuts, but overall the impression, certainly in the first half of the match, was of an army in retreat at the first whiff of gunfire. Some, like the unfortunate Brett Wetterich, are just not good enough, but the others appear to have been softened by the easy pickings on the PGA Tour.

There, thanks to the millions which Woods has attracted into golf, the Americans are pampered from the moment they wake up until they turn in at night. And even in their own backyard they are becoming easy pickings for the international players who have migrated to the world's most lucrative tour.

The tone for this lack of fibre was set by Chris Riley at the last Ryder Cup. After partnering Woods to a fourball victory in the morning, he decided he was "too tired" to go out again in the afternoon.

Much has been made of the European's team spirit in winning what looks certain to be a fifth Ryder Cup in the last six matches.

While that is undoubtedly true, the fact is that increasingly they are not even being stretched. Whereas when Europe were the underdogs, Seve Ballesteros pushed gamesmanship to the limit in his desperation to even up the odds.

There is no Ballesteros or Pavin playing for America this year. It's nice to be nice, but not in the Ryder Cup.