BLOOMFIELD HILLS, United States (AFP) - Confident European captain Bernhard Langer rubbed salt in rival captain Hal Sutton's wounds when he dismissed the American's decision to send out his three strongest players first in Sunday's crucial singles matches.
Sutton, trying to salvage pride if not the Ryder Cup after his team found itself facing the biggest two-day deficit in Ryder Cup history, decided to send out Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and David Love in a bid to try and halt the rampaging Europeans.
"I put the strongest guys we have out first. The top three players that I've put out are the strongest players we've got.
"We have a large deficit we have to overcome and maybe the Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson you all know haven't actually been quite here this week but there's a good chance they will be there tomorrow (Sunday).
"And you know if they are, they will probably play well. If they do show up they will be a formidable opponent," said Sutton.
But for Langer, the threat of Woods, Mickelson and Love after two days of watching his side create history and they simply destroyed the feared American golf machine held no fear.
Going out against America's big three are rookie Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia and Darren Clarke and Langer expects results as he goes hunting for the three points needed to assure Europe retain the Cup.
"I figured that Hal would front load, which he did and I tried to counteract that by putting my guys where I felt was best for the team and I think the matchup is very good.
"I'm not scared. I'm pretty sure and convinced that out of the first three matches I'd be very surprised if we don't get two points," said Langer.
Woods has won one and lost three of his matches this week, Mickelson is 1-2 and Love 1-3.
Langer's confidence was boosted by Saturday performance of three of his rookies who stopped the Americans dead in their track and changed the whole momentum of the day's play.
Just when the Americans looked like clawing their way back into the match after their humiliating 6 1/2 - 1 1/2 drubbing on the opening day, Casey, playing with David Howell in the four-balls, snatched a dramatic 18th-hole victory over Jim Furyk and Chad Campbell.
If the 27-year-old had not made his snaking three-footer the US, still smarting after their thrashing the previous day, would have moved to within two points.
European captain Bernhard Langer had nothing but praise for his all-rookie duo.
"They came into the contest with their A-games and I'm proud of both of them. Their win was vital because we know that momentum swings are common in this game.
"Paul and David just played some of the best golf you will ever see from two partners makinmg their debuts together in the Ryder Cup," enthused Langer.
Sutton was equally impressed.
"Momentum switched right there," admitted the American captain. "It took some of the energy away but more importantly what it did, it gave them energy. It was a moral victory for them because they felt defeated all the way around this morning until the last hole."
But the performance of debutant Luke Donald, playing with Sergio Garcia in the foursomes, was critical in giving Europe their virtually unbeatable lead.
His closing putt on the 18th to seal victory over Jim Furyk and Fred Funk was delivered with ice-cold precision.
Through the match the lethal iron play of Donald kept the hard-pressing American duo at bay and Langer expects more of the same on Sunday.