Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell has called for the biennial showdown between Europe and USA to be staged every three years.

McDowell, and the hero of 2010 European Ryder Cup, was responding to a question in how the European side is dealing with the added expectation of being the favourites this week at Gleneagles.

Graeme McDowell has suggested the Ryder Cup should be played every three years. (Photo – Eoin Clarke, www.golffile.ie)

Of course, there is not only the Ryder Cup every second year but in between is the Presidents Cup and Seve Trophy while the Asian and European Tour now have the EurAsia Cup to be played for.

That makes four different pro team events over a two year period and when adding the Olympic Games to a some 40-event regular schedule each season it will be nine team tournaments every four years.

” I’ve spoken to a few of them and they are of the belief that this needs to be every three years so that they can play a Ryder Cup and a Presidents Cup and have a year off,” said McDowell.

“I would be a supporter of that. I think for their level of engagement, they need that, because when you look at the Tigers and Phils and Strickers and Furyks who have played eight, nine, ten, 12 of these in a row, they do lose their shine.

“This event has become such a global spectacle and such a huge passion, emotional week, we want them to be as into it as we are, and I believe that they have a team this week that will be into it as much as we are.

“I think we have got targets on our back this week and we are aware of that, and we are going to be ready for it.

“We are not getting sucked in by the favourite tag. We are going to play like underdogs. That’s kind of what we’re going for.”