Tiger Woods has admitted he shoulders responsibility for the United States' poor recent record in the Ryder Cup ahead of this week's contest in Chicago.

Europe have won four of the last five biennial contests, with Woods absent through injury from the home side's sole victory in that sequence at Valhalla in 2008.

The former world number one's only win in six appearances came in the controversial "Battle of Brookline" in 1999, while he has a losing overall record of played 29, won 13, lost 14 and halved two.

Asked if he was responsible for Europe's success in a time when he personally dominated the individual game, Woods said: ''Well, certainly I am responsible for that, because I didn't earn the points that I was put out there for.

''I believe I was out there in five sessions each time and I didn't go 5-0 on our side. So I certainly am a part of that and that's part of being a team. I needed to go get my points for my team, and I didn't do that. Hopefully I can do that this week and hopefully the other guys can do the same and we can get this thing rolling.''

Woods is not alone in possessing a losing record however, with the experienced pair of Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk also struggling to translate individual success into team triumphs.

Mickelson, who is appearing in a US-record ninth Ryder Cup at Medinah, has won 14 points from 34 matches overall and amazingly just two wins from his last 14 fourball or foursome matches.

Furyk is making his eighth appearance this week but has won just ten points of a possible 27 overall and four from his last 18 fourball or foursome clashes.