Ryder Cup/US PGA fallout: Sam Torrance stayed away from Hazeltine, which is probably just as well. Europe's Ryder Cup captain is quite fond of reiterating the phrase "form is fickle, class is permanent" whenever the issue is raised about the form of his players, but, if he had made the transatlantic flight across six time zones to the US PGA, the performances of his players would likely have made that journey seem even longer and caused a few more grey hairs to appear.

The Ryder Cup at The Belfry is just over five weeks away, and, in a season where the form of many of Europe's team has resembled a mad roller-coaster ride which has been more stomach churning than a cause for dizzy excitement, things have never looked quite as bleak than they do after the season's final major of the year.

All 12 members of the European team teed-up at Hazeltine. Only four of them - Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia, Bernhard Langer and Pierre Fulke - survived to the weekend. Four of the US Ryder Cup players failed to advance.

Of the eight European players who missed the cut - Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn, Colin Montgomerie, Paul McGinley, Lee Westwood, Niclas Fasth, Phillip Price and Jesper Parnevik - three of them had scores in the 80s. Parnevik opened his championship with an 82, while Westwood and Price each recorded 83s in their second rounds.

There was no particular reason why so many Europeans should struggle on a course like Hazeltine, which had relatively generous fairways - compared to other major venues - and, likewise, rough that didn't automatically penalise errant tee-shots. But they did, and, for too many, the malaise has been around for too long.

The most obvious slide has been shown by Westwood. Just 18 months ago, he was fifth in the world rankings but now he has fallen outside the top 100 and is spiralling downwards. He hasn't won a tournament on the European Tour in two years and, so far this season, has missed six cuts and his highest placed finish came at the Smurfit European Open, where he finished tied-16th.

But it is not just Westwood who is struggling. Parnevik has not won this year - in fact, his last win came in the Honda Classic over a year ago - and he has missed five cuts this season.

Price is another who hasn't won in over a year and has only recorded two top-10 finishes in Europe this season and McGinley's trademark consistency has deserted him. Missing the cut at the US PGA was the seventh time this season that he didn't make the final two rounds.

All in all, the signs are worrying ones - and the performances at Hazeltine only serve to highlight them. However, the 12 men originally selected for the postponed matches last year will remain; there is no question of anyone being dumped because of poor form. Players can only cry off for medical reasons, not due to a loss of form. Which, as Torrance is inclined to remind you, is fickle anyway.

And Harrington, who can expect to shoulder much of the weight of European expectations when the matches do get under way, is inclined to agree with Torrance's view that things will be fine.

"To be honest, I'm not looking around to see how everyone is doing," said Harrington. "Let everyone look after themselves. It is six weeks away, and if somebody is playing well now, it doesn't necessarily mean they will play well then. I'm not going to worry about the other guys. Let me worry about my injuries and myself and let the others look after themselves. I'm sure they'll be alright on the night."

As poorly as many of the European team is currently playing, the one consolation for Torrance is that the United States are no great shakes at present either. Although American players filled eight of the top nine places at Hazeltine, only three of them are in the team for The Belfry.