This year, there are fewer Americans that made the field of the Accenture Match Play than ever.  Only 17 Americans made the field.  In the first round, golf.com tells us that Americans went 12-3 against players from other countries.  (That means there was one match where an American had to lose.)

I have said before that Americans like watching other Americans.  Many Americans could not care less about golfers from other countries.  In fact, most only seem to care about one American in particular. 

Stewart Cink was quoted in the golf.com piece:

"The number of Americans has gone down every year they've had the tournament. There are a lot of good players around the world, and a lot of World Ranking points going that direction."

That is about as netural of a statement as an American could make about the demise of the red, white, and blue from the highest ranks of golf.  If you look at the quote closely enough, there's a hint that World Ranking points may be to blame for a "technical bounce" in the rankings of global players.  Cink may have a point.

Take Lin Wen-Tang.  He finished 2nd on the Asian Tour money list last year.  He got whalloped in round one 7&5 by Anthony Kim.  How about another Asian Tour star in Prayad Marksaeng?  Ousted on day one by Lee Westwood.

Maybe the Asian Tour is overrated - in fact, I'm sure of it.  Still, the youth of Europe are proving their worth in spades so far this week.  Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter, Luke Donald (yes, he's still young), Ross Fisher, and Oliver Wilson are all still alive with 16 players left.

Consider that South Africa is alive and well with Ernie Els and Tiger-slayer Tim Clark.

Of the sixteen players left, five are American.  Two face each other today - Phil Mickelson and Stewart Cink.  At best, four will get to the round of eight.  If four make it, then half of the final eight will have their caddies donning the American flag on their bibs.  That would help prove that Americans are still dominant in the game, despite there being fewer of them in this field than ever.

Then again, this is just one event.  More telling, perhaps, is that only three players have won multiple majors in the last five years.  Two of them are American, and one can still win this week.  Phil Mickelson, the hopes and dreams of America may well rest on you.