Overton in a hurry at Whistling Straits

On the day he was expected to clinch a Ryder Cup debut, American Jeff Overton raced round Whistling Straits in an unofficial record of 129 minutes today - thanks to Ian Poulter being unwell.

A chest infection brought Poulter’s withdrawal from the USPGA Championship when lying last and that left Overton to play the final round on his own.

He played the first nine holes in just an hour and although he slowed a touch after that, the 27-year-old’s 79 was completed in a minute less than it took Phil Blackmar at Crooked Stick in 1991.

“Awesome, first record in a major,” beamed Overton, who was poised to create another first.

No American in modern times – since they started playing against Europe rather than Britain and Ireland – has made their team without winning a tournament first.