These were winning smiles, professionals who had enjoyed a very special week. This is some of their thoughts and that of the one US player in the Heritage field, Casey Wittenberg, the best Amateur at this year’s Masters and who turned Pro after this year’s US Open – there is a new attitude that could be sweeping through the US team for perhaps Wales in 2010 for a US fightback.

The talisman of the team, Colin Montgomerie, was ebullient –

‘I really do feel, for the first time, that we will start the 2006 Ryder Cup as favourites and I have never said that before. That’s how strong our Tour is and our players and everyone connected with our Tour and I think that is a huge thing to say!’

Padraig Harrington was one who wanted to praise the ‘Monty’ factor –

‘Colin obviously loves that sort of situation. He loves to be in control. He loves the matchplay format where there are not 155 players to compete against, just one or two guys and he gains a lot of confidence in that situation and he plays his very best golf.

Harrington also thought that one match was one of the most significant in the history of the Ryder Cup –

‘I think Howell and Casey’s match was probably the most important fourball match that has ever happened in the Ryder Cup. It would have been a very tight contest if it wasn’t for that match. You could have been guaranteed that it would have been right down to the wire. The boys stopped their momentum, it really did, just halted them – full stop!’

What of one of the participants in that match, David Howell. How did he see that whole experience and that Saturday morning?

‘Neither me or Paul (Casey) played fantastic. It wasn’t the best performance of our lives but we played well together as a team, classic fourball.

‘I was out of a few holes, he was out of a few but our partners were there at those points which is why we ended up winning.’

How did Howell cope with the overall experience?

‘There wasn’t anything that anyone said that will stick with me for the rest of my career, more the way I handled the situation. One of the great things was watching everyone tee off on Friday morning and seeing the World’s best players make absolutely terrible efforts of their first tee shots. I guess what I am saying is that even the best feel tremendously pressured.’

And what of the all singing and dancing (the presentations) Ian Poulter? What did he take from the week?

‘It was more than I expected all week really, from start to finish. I said to someone that I did not realise what I was missing years ago when I missed out (on qualification) by 18 000 Euros. I am not saying I did not try then but I would have probably done things a little different. I never want to miss another one again. It was priceless!

Poulter also gained much from witnessing the Friday morning tee shots –

‘I experienced what they were going through in terms of being on the tee. I wanted to see that for myself. After seeing Mickelson miss by 40 yards left and Tiger miss by 40 yards right, I wasn’t bothered. When you have the No 2 and No 4 spread it all over the park, then its not really a hard tee shot.’

This was some of the evocative feelings of the team. The Heritage also featured the 2004 US Open Champion, Retief Goosen, in its field and he had something to say about the Woods and Mickelson pairing.

‘I think everyone expected that to be a point on the board. It was actually a big embarrassment for them to lose. That was what it came down to, there was so much pressure on them to win they couldn’t pull it off. There was no spread and it went the other way.’

So to the US player in the field. Casey Wittenberg. Having played his seven sponsors invites to the US Tour, after turning pro in late June, Wittenberg managed to win $ 90 000 in those starts, not enough (bar far) to make an impression –

‘For the purses they are playing for, that is no-where near enough. I am here for this (the Heritage) and the Dunhill. To be honest, I like the Tour over here better. Its more laid back, I like the atmosphere, all those things combined.’

Wittenberg will go back to the US in October for second stage Q School for the US Tour but whatever happens, he will be back in Europe –

‘No doubts, even if things go well back in the US. Being so young, it’s a great opportunity, an experience, to play all over the World. You only need to take a look at the people who have done it, like Adam Scott. It’s a very very strong tour.

What about the Ryder Cup, what did Wittenberg think of last weekend?

‘Don’t get me wrong, I believe the US Team was as well prepared as it could be but they make so much money each year, you could say things like the Ryder Cup are downgraded in a way.’

‘You look at people like Sergio, how he enjoys the tension, how he takes it personally. It a very foreign situation for us, because we have no team golf.

‘I’ve seen in the Junior Ryder Cup and back in 95, when Tiger was playing in the Walker Cup, I remember seeing that Padraig Harrington (who was in the GB and Ireland team) had played foursomes with his partner in 28 events before that week.

What about future Ryder Cups – is playing a goal for Casey?

‘It would be nice – playing in Wales (in 2010) is a big goal to me. I am in a situation where I am a bit of an abnormal kid. I am 19 year’s old and have turned professional, and it’s a different level. Right now I am on a learning curve, I have to be patient, polish my game, get better.’

If Casey does develop as his Amateur Career would suggest, then he will be part of a much younger US Ryder Cup team in the future – a team which has learnt from the past. In the meantime, he sees, like many many players, that the European Tour is as good as any.