America prepares

There is no book entitled How To Prepare Perfectly For Tournament Golf for two reasons: a) there are so many ways of doing it and b) it would be dreadfully dull. Captains Nick Faldo and Paul Azinger represent polar opposites on the preparation scale. In interviews at the start of the week the American admitted to regularly loosing his yardage book and taking to the course without a pencil. Faldo on the other hand left no stone unturned, every run off point, lay-up zone and pin position carefully logged should he need the information later in the week.

Azinger s apparently laissez-faire attitude towards his own preparation was reflected by one of his squad this morning Boo Weekley. On the eve of the biggest team event on the planet, Boo was out practicing on his own. Now I m no Arsene Wenger or Brian Clough but this seems an ill-advised tactic. With team spirit in camp America already questionable, it would seem that Boo is hardly doing his bit to foster good vibes.

JB Holmes on the other hand is doing a sterling job for his team. It took him approximately 10 minutes to walk from the clubhouse to the practice putting green as he signed hundreds of autographs. The fans then wildly cheered him as he slotted home a series of simple 3-footers that even I could have holed.

Of course, today is just a practice round but the excitement simmering beneath the surface is impossible to ignore. Many of the locals we ve seen are dressed in I love America t-shirts and wearing stars and stripes hats. While it s not a look that would make a great impression at the Paris fashion show, it all adds to the partisan atmosphere. So if you were sceptical about how seriously the Americans fans take this competition after consecutive maulings, I suggest you tune in for the opening tee shots tomorrow afternoon.