Ryder Cup captains losing their marbles

Our man in Detroit catches up with both Ryder Cup captains and discovers some strange goings on

It s all going Ryder Cup crazy at Oakland Hills. Nick Faldo is walking around with a Dictaphone and Paul Azinger can t sleep. Do you think the Ryder Cup captains are feeling the pressure?

Their behaviour in Detroit has become increasingly bizarre, paranoid and, frankly, bonkers. Has anyone seen their marbles?

Faldo has taken to carrying a dictaphone around with and is insisting on recording every conversation with reporters. Does he think there is a media agenda to catch him out? Yeah, could be, he told me, after pressing the start button.

Azinger, meanwhile, admitted that he keeps waking up in the middle of the night as yet another Ryder Cup idea pops into his head. I keep a notepad by my bed, he said, and write down my ideas before I fall back asleep and forget them. Little ideas like how to stop getting thrashed.

Faldo and Azinger also admitted they have been winding each other up with text messages. I can take the P out of Zinger and he can take the P out of me, Faldo said. "He s fun to be around. Azinger said: It s not a comedy act but I try to wind Nick up. It s fun.

Azinger has even invented a new word. In a classic President Bush-ism he said he doesn t need to motivate or inspirate his team next month. Inspirate? Is inspirate a word? Azinger said, catching himself. Well, it rhymed, though, he laughed. Nurse!

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