Azinger pins hopes on 13th man at Valhalla

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky: Loud chants of "USA USA" reverberated around the ninth green at Valhalla Golf Club on Wednesday, early signs of the 13th man United States captain Paul Azinger is banking on to influence this week's Ryder Cup.

The Americans are under intense pressure to reverse a run of three successive defeats by Europe, the last two by thumping margins, and Azinger has targeted the Kentucky crowd to lift his 12-man team.

Four years ago at Oakland Hills, the US was outsmarted by Bernhard Langer's Europeans who shrewdly won over the home fans with a charm offensive in the build-up to the three days of competition.