AN AMERICAN journalist expressed the opinion immediately after the captains’ interviews yesterday that “Azinger is a smarter ass than Faldo”.

THE piece of paper on the seventh tee looked for all the world like a list of European golfers and a potential foursomes line-up for tomorrow’s opening round of the 37th Ryder Cup. It was covered in a litany of the initials of Ryder Cup players, but owner Nick Faldo had a different explanation altogether.