Valhalla crowd get into swing as players battle early nerves

LEE WESTWOOD remembers his hand shaking so much he could barely put the ball on the tee when he attempted his first Ryder Cup tee shot and Boo Weekley said he felt like puking at the start of every round.

Yet as the 37th Ryder Cup matches got off to a boisterous but good natured and respectful start at Valhalla yesterday, there were few signs of any nerves among the eight, first-morning competitors.

Valhalla’s gates did not open to ticket holders until daylight broke just 40 minutes before the first foursomes match got under way at 8:05am local time, but the stands around the first tee box quickly filled up and by 7:40 the chanting began.