Foursomes may not be awesome for rookies: Kaymer

“I don’t know how Darren will set up the team but I think especially in the foursomes you need experienced players so I don’t know how many rookies he will put in that format”.

When captain Davis Love III and the U.S. Ryder Cup team come to Hazeltine at the end of the month, they will be looking to avoid an unprecedented fourth straight defeat to the Europeans.

Kaymer was selected by Clarke as one of three wildcards, along with Belgian Pieters and 43-year-old Englishman Lee Westwood.

“He’s talking about chemistry and how players are going to fit into the team and it seems like he doesn’t see where Bubba is going to fit in – into pairings and stuff like that”.

McDowell joined his captain Montgomerie as a Ryder Cup legend by keeping his cool in front of 35,000 fans at Celtic Manor for a 3 and1 victory over Hunter Mahan as heavy rain in Wales meant a Monday finish for the first time in the event’s history.

Despite his two major championship triumphs and the eight weeks he spent at the top of the world rankings in 2011, Kaymer said he attracted more attention for his Ryder Cup exploits than anything else.

“If my team needed a quarterback and I drafted a running back I’d be in big trouble”, said Love, who was captain when Europe staged their stunning comeback victory in the “Miracle of Medinah” four years ago.

“People recognise my name more for the Ryder Cup than they do for my major wins”, said Kaymer.

The veteran is one of a handful of Clarke’s side who are playing at this week’s Italian Open and admits that finding the right combination to help guarantee their best play is a huge part of being a professional golfer.

“In my past I have always played well when I play a few in a row”, said Kaymer. “Due to the success me, Lee and Thomas have had, I think we have the respect of our team mates”. Here we look at some of the finest examples of players holding their nerve for Teams Europe and U.S. to join golfing folklore.

“But other than that I’m not divulging too much”. Watch the Ryder Cup live on Sky Sports from the 30th of September.