"I always loved trying to outwit the opposing captain with pairings and positioning the players in the field.

"The buck stops at the captain. If a pairing goes well, it reflects positively on the captain. If a team loses, it reflects negatively on the captain."

Lehman and Woosnam, both former world number ones who are making their debuts as captains at the K Club, are likely to experience both sides of the coin this week.

However, unless the 36th Ryder Cup produces the third tie in the competition's 79-year history after Sunday's last-day singles, only one of them will be able to celebrate public success.

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