NEW YORK (AP) -- Jack Nicklaus is backing the United States to win back the Ryder Cup because, he says, "I just believe we have better players."

If Nick Faldo is looking for some words to motivate his team as they try for a fourth successive victory, those seven by Nicklaus might just do the trick.

And if not those, then maybe these by another former American great Johnny Miller.

"Even without Tiger, they should win easily," says Miller.

For the first time in history, Europe, the winner by a record nine points in the last two matches, parade 12 players who are all in the world's top 50.

U.S. Captain Paul Azinger cannot say the same about his side. Wild cards Chad Campbell and J.B. Holmes are currently ranked 53rd and 55th. They are also, of course, without Tiger Woods.

"Tiger won't be playing in the matches this year, of course. If he were, I'd consider the Americans big favorites," Nicklaus says in the current edition of Golf Digest. "I still think they will win. I just believe we have better players.

"Europe has a lot of good players and a host of very promising young guys. But who among them has a great record?" he added. "It isn't like the 1987 European team that had (Seve) Ballesteros, Faldo, Sandy Lyle, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and Jose Maria Olazabal.

"We probably didn't give them enough credit at the time, but history has proved those guys were great players," Nicklaus explained. "It was no accident they won. But there's no reason the U.S. team should lose the Ryder Cup at Valhalla."

Nicklaus also said he was tired of hearing about the European dominance in the Ryder Cup.

"I'm sure for many years the Europeans got tired of hearing about American dominance and they're revelling about turning it around," he said. "But I just think American golf is better than perceptions based on recent Ryder Cup results."

In the same magazine, Miller says Europe has got on a winning run recently mainly through putting. But he says: "The Yanks are tired of getting whipped and this time they'll arrive in a mood to drain everything. Even without Tiger, they should win easily."

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