American Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman has shrugged off concerns about the form of two of his star players ahead of this week's Ryder Cup at the K Club.
Tiger Woods and world number three Jim Furyk - likely partners at the K Club - both crashed out of the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth in the first round last week. In contrast, European team member Paul Casey went on to lift the trophy after beating team-mate Colin Montgomerie in the semi-finals, while rookie Robert Karlsson also reached the last four.
But after arriving three hours late in Dublin this morning - "We brought more than our share of luggage which was the cause of the delay," the American captain explained - Lehman hinted that neither player would be too upset by their early exit.
Woods took the chance to watch Chelsea play Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, while Furyk was already practising on the course.
"Everybody has been working very hard to be prepared," Lehman said. "The preparation takes different forms. Some guys play the week before and some go to tournaments just focusing on a part of their game they need to work on. They don't care about the results.
"You always take confidence in your guys playing well but you certainly don't lose heart if they don't. One year I missed the cut at the BC Open by 10 shots the week before the Ryder Cup and had a great Ryder Cup. I don't read anything into the results.
"Our team is very excited, we were just a few weeks ago so it feels like we are coming back to something familiar. There is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm."
European captain Ian Woosnam, of course, can take great heart from last week, which also saw Padraig Harrington back to form in Madrid, with Darren Clarke also making a successful return to competitive golf in Spain; his first appearance since the death of his wife, Heather, on August 13th.
"It was important for Darren to play well and also for me because I picked him," admitted Woosnam. "He did very well last week and he is up for it."
Lehman added: "I think it's a much better Ryder Cup with Darren playing. I know everyone on our team is happy he is playing. We all know what he has been through and there has always been a lot of support for him."
Lehman also revealed one of his wild card picks, Scott Verplank, was fully fit after a recent injury scare.
"He suffered the injury about a month ago and when we came over here he didn't play but rested for a week and he is 100 per cent," added Lehman, who was unconcerned about the potential for some bad weather when the matches get underway on Friday.
"It was like that when we were here two weeks ago and it was good to see the place at its toughest. It was a typical tough day in Ireland so our guys know what to expect if it does turn nasty."
Turning nasty is not what Lehman expects from the players or large crowds expected however.
"We are playing a game," added the 1996 Open champion. "Everyone wants to win but it's just a game. "I don't have any concerns that the teams are going to play hard to win but at the end of the day we will shake hands afterwards."
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