Golf legend Jack Nicklaus has backed the United States to beat Europe and reclaim the Ryder Cup in Kentucky later this month.

The Europeans are aiming for the fourth straight win at Valhalla, but Nicklaus said of the hosts: "Even without Tiger (Woods), they should win easily".

The 18-time major winner, twice a Ryder Cup captain for America, told Golf Digest: "I just believe we have better players.

"I think American golf is better than perceptions based on recent Ryder Cup results."

US captain Paul Azinger is aiming to lead his team to their first Ryder Cup win since their 1999 in Brookline.

While Europe can boast 12 players in the world's top 50, the US team includes wildcards Chad Campbell and JB Holmes - ranked 53rd and 55th - and is missing injured world number one Woods.

Despite playing on home soil, the US team are being called the underdogs, particularly after Europe won by nine points in the last two matches.

But Nicklaus said: "Europe has a lot of good players and a host of very promising young guys. But who among them has a great record?

"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. It was no accident they won. But there's no reason the US team should lose."

Nicklaus added: "I'm tired of hearing about the European dominance in the Ryder Cup.

"But I'm sure for many years the Europeans got tired of hearing about American dominance and they're revelling about turning it around."

The 37th Ryder Cup takes place on September 19-21.