BLOOMFIELD HILLS, United States (AFP) - As Europe went on a charm offensive to win over the American fans, US captain Hal Sutton was coming to terms with Phil Mickelson`s decision not to practice.
As all 12 European players went out to practice, taking time to stop and sign autographs and have their pictures taken by eager golf fans, Mickelson was taking it easy - out of sight of everyone.
"He did not play today. He told me this morning that he didn`t play on Wednesday`s of Majors and he thought this was a Major and he wasn`t going to change his routine and I said,`Absolutely, don`t change your routine. You do what you have to do,`" explained Sutton.
But what remained unsaid was that in a Major play begins on Thursday. The Ryder Cup begins on Friday so what Mickelson will do on Thursday is unclear.
Mickelson admits that the Americans are still having problems trying to work out the best way to prepare for the Ryder Cup.
"I feel like we as a team in the US are still trying to find the best way to prepare us for these matches because the routine is so different," said the Masters champion.
"We are used to a Thursday start. We are used to one practice round.
"We get in here on Monday and we have got four practice rounds, we`ve got functions and so forth. It`s different," he added.
Sutton stresses his players are all getting on together well.
"Everybody`s doing great," he insists. "Everybody is laughing and joking and content with their game."
But his determination to keep the players on edge by refusing to tell them who they will be paired with come Friday is causing some unease amongst some of the American team.
"There has been a lot of people talking about who they are comfortable with and who they are not comfortable with. I am going to tell them tomorrow who they are going to be comfortable playing with," laughed Sutton.
"I know right this second who the teams are. And it`s going to stay that way," he added.
Sutton is determined to stamp his `no nonsense` style on the American players.
"I don`t think I have overloaded them with information. They act to me like they are starving for more information and that`s good. There`s been a few guys that have been uneasy about what`s going to happen and what they are going to do," he explained.
Sutton insists less is better in the build up.
"They know how to prepare for what they are doing. They don`t need me, another opinion, another second guesser stepping in their way. We`re not going to go with how I think it ought to be done," he said.