It is to be hoped that Britain's Prince Andrew doesn't have to endure the same nerve-wracking climax to a Ryder Cup as occurred at Oak Hill four years ago. On that occasion, the golf-loving prince walked the fairways in support of Philip Walton, who garnered the winning point for the European team, and the Englishman professed to being as "weak kneed" as the player by the end.

The prince is as familiar with the course as many of the players: last year he was in Boston for the bicentennial of the USS Constitution and played a round at Brookline with Ryder Cup general chairman John Cornish who recalled him as "a very good player, about six-handicap".