‘Playing against crowd and USA makes winning more satisfying’

That was the last time he played the match in America four years ago and afterwards the Englishman had some harsh things to say about the Louisville crowd.

“He was the one that got ejected, but he was the one that made me laugh,” Westwood said of the ghostly figure.

“All of the abuse that I got was fairly nasty and pretty shameful.

“Some people don’t know the difference between supporting their team and abusing the opposition team, which is unfortunate.”

Westwood’s experiences also go back to the ‘Battle of Brookline’ in 1999, when the heckling of Colin Montgomerie and the premature celebrations on the 17th green marred America’s victory.

Now he is in Chicago for his eighth successive cap and wondering, like the rest of the European team, what kind of reception they are in for once the match starts on Friday.

“The crowd will be right into it. Chicago is a great sporting town – they get right behind their teams,” said Westwood.

“I don’t see it being any different. You know you are against the crowd as well as the US team when you play in the States, but that is what makes it more satisfying when you come out as the winners.”

As he did in Detroit in 2004.

Listening to team-mate Luke Donald, a resident of Chicago since his college days, should have eased some of the worries aired by 2010 captain Montgomerie before the two teams arrived in the city yesterday afternoon.

Montgomerie said: “The world changed after 9/11, but time moves on and I have a slight fear that it is going to be very difficult for us Europeans to perform to our potential.

“Playing in America when they want it (the trophy) back is a difficult place to have to play golf. I do hope everyone realises that and allows the Europeans to play to their potential.

“Unfortunately, on the Sunday of the Ryder Cup in 1999, that wasn’t available to us.”

But Donald commented: “It is a major city like Boston, but I feel like the difference I have found when I’ve been in Chicago opposed to a place like New York is that they are a little bit friendlier bunch of people.

“We will see what happens. You never know, but hopefully the days of disrespecting the away team are out the window.

“Sure, give your team support, but there’s no room in this game for being disrespectful. I think it has changed. In ‘99 there weren’t too many of us playing in the US – now three-quarters of us are and we are very well-known. I think that helps.”

All of the Americans and five of the Europeans linked up at Medinah after competing at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, an event which saw United States debutant Brandt Snedeker grab the £6m FedEx Cup bonus away from Rory McIlroy and deny Justin Rose the £900,000 tournament first prize.

Donald was third and while Westwood came 30th and last – no fewer than 25 strokes behind Snedeker – he insisted afterwards that “my game is not far away”.

The Worksop golfer, who has found a property in Florida for his family to move into during the winter, has gone another season without winning a major, but at 39 he hopes there is still plenty of time to achieve his dreams.

“I don’t get too wound up any more,” he said of his performance last week, which followed a trip back to England.

“I don’t think the week off came at a good time either. I was playing well (he came second to Rory McIlroy in the third of the FedEx Cup play-offs), then went home and practised on greens far slower than those in the States.”

Westwood has played two US PGA Championships at Medinah, finishing 16th in 1999 and 29th in 2006, although the first of those is best remembered for him suffering heatstroke and being put on a drip.

One of Westwood’s Ryder Cup opponents is newcomer Snedeker, who intends to give a lot of his new-found wealth to good causes.

Asked what he intended to do with the money – the amount that McIlroy has earned in a season of four wins, including a major, and nine other top-10 finishes – the 31-year-old from Nashville said: “It really hasn’t crossed my mind yet to be honest with you.

“It’s going to be an unbelievable thing to go through this process of being financially secure for a long period of time and looking at what we can do to help other people out with that money.”

Eight former captains and celebrities including Justin Timberlake, Bill Murray and swimmer Michael Phelps will be on show at Medinah today. After the European and USA teams have had their first official practice rounds, fans will be able to watch a 10-hole golf event over the course involving Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin, Dave Stockton, Hal Sutton, Lanny Wadkins and 72-year-old Lee Trevino.