“Hal Sutton said it took a generation to get into this mess, and it will take a generation to get out of it,” Azinger said.

The mess is the Americans’ paltry record in an exhibition they once owned. Europe has captured the Ryder Cup eight of the last 11 times, including record margins (18½-9½) the last two matches.

“They’ve won five of the last six, and the one you win was a miracle comeback,” Azinger said, referring to Brookline in 1999. “Maybe we’re at the beginning of the generation that gets us out. I feel like the selection process we have now puts the right guys on the team. It’s going to be really difficult to make the team and not win.”

Even with new faces in American golf, Europe might have an even greater wealth of talent in the pipeline.

Justin Rose is likely to make his first Ryder Cup team, with Martin Kaymer, Nick Dougherty and Graeme McDowell in decent position heading into the summer. Britain is intrigued by a pair of pups named Rory McIlroy and Oliver Fisher.

There are no more Peter Bakers in the Ryder Cup. No surprises.

Part of that is more awareness of global golf, and the fact so many European players are making at least a half-dozen trips to America each year for majors or World Golf Championships.

Besides, Baker was merely a symbol.

Rookies didn’t carry Europe to all those victories. Dating to 1995, rookies contributed 19 percent of Europe’s total points, while U.S. rookies contributed about 30 percent.

Baker was symbolic of the European rookies who always seemed to deliver the crucial point — Philip Walton with the winning putt on the 18th green at Oak Hill in 1995; Phillip Price beating Mickelson in singles at The Belfry in 2002, followed by Paul McGinley’s cup-clinching putt; David Howell’s clutch 6-iron on the 17th hole at Oakland Hills that turned back a U.S. rally in 2004.

That’s what Azinger wants on his side.

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