DETROIT ? It’s not that the Americans don’t want to win back the Ryder Cup. They don’t need to.

That’s the difference.

American validation comes from the individual achievement — the most money, the sweetest endorsement deal, the biggest jet.

The Europeans understand the concept of playing for a common cause. There’s a stronger sense of community there than with the U.S. golfers who for 51 weeks this year were programmed to insulate themselves from the enemy next door.

And that’s why the Europeans will have the Ryder Cup parked in the overhead compartment when they leave town Monday.

The Americans are more individually talented. There are 12 major championships among the top five — Tiger Woods (eight), Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk and David Toms with one apiece.

There isn’t one major title on the European team for the first time since the competition expanded from just Great Britain and Ireland to the entire continent since 1979. Only Sergio Garcia, Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood and Thomas Levet have top-five finishes in a major.

Yet the Euros will prevail.

Paul Casey said European golfers grow up placing a high priority on Ryder Cup success because they were irrelevant for so long. It is a source of continental pride that the event has grown in stature the last 20 years on the strength of European dominance.

They need the Ryder Cup.

We don’t.

They need payback for what they considered the tastelessness of Brookline five years ago more than we want revenge for losing at The Belfry two years ago.

I remember the revelry after Sunday’s dramatic singles finish. The matches had concluded two hours earlier yet the patrons still warbled their respective national anthems outside of the clubhouse.

A U.S. victory Sunday afternoon would be celebrated with folks rushing to the closest TV so that they can catch the second half of the NFL doubleheader and update their fantasy football stats.

U.S. captain Hal Sutton says he believes there should be some sense of patriotic duty to this opportunity. He wants his players to swallow whatever differences or animosities for one week, but that might be an impossible task.

Woods’ rationale is that if winning the Ryder Cup is as important as winning a major championship then he should be allowed to prepare for it as he would a Masters or U.S. Open. You wouldn’t see Tiger and Phil sharing a hotel elevator to reach their luxury suites before the PGA Championship. If this is as important as winning the British Open then why does he have to endure the monotony of an opening ceremony?

The Americans are independent corporations, while the Europeans resemble a cooperative. They often travel and dine together when playing on the PGA Tour. Their camaraderie isn’t manufactured, and that might offset their inexperience in this transitional period.

And don’t discount that they’re playing better as of late. Luke Donald, one of captain Bernhard Langer’s two wild-card selections, has won two European Tour events in the last five weeks. Miguel Angel Jiminez won the BMW International two weeks ago and finished runner-up to Donald at the European Masters.

And although Monty’s season has been a wreck, his captain’s selection was considered a no-brainer because he is one of the premier Ryder Cup performers.

He needs this Ryder Cup to save his year. Some might contend he needs it to save his last thread of self-confidence. It’s that necessity that will inspire the Euros to a two-point victory.