As Jose Maria Olazabal used the memory of Seve Ballesteros to inspire Europe at Medinah, Paul McGinley has used that of a recently-lost Scottish legend for his Ryder Cup team at Gleneagles this week.
A former pupil of the late Bob Torrance, who died in July after a long battle with cancer, the Irishman has used one of the great coach’s favourite sayings as the last thing the players see as they leave the European team room in the Gleneagles Dormy House.
With Bob’s son Sam as a vice-captain, his greatest pupil Padraig Harrington as another and another pupil, Stephen Gallacher, on the team, there could hardly be a more emotional message to Europe.
“It’s just one of Bob’s simple messages,” said McGinley. “When you finished your work on the range and headed to the first tee, he would always shake your hand and say: ‘Happiest days of your life’.
“It’s the last thing the guys will see as they leave the locker room.”
New father Graeme McDowell was the last European team member to clock in at Gleneagles on Monday and McGinley now has three days to put together what he believes to be the best formation to get Europe off to a flying start.
“I’ve got a pretty good idea of what way we’re going to go on Friday, just getting a bit of feedback as to where they actually are now,” he said.
“It’s like racehorses at Cheltenham, seeing them arrive, wondering how they travelled, are they OK, are they back on it, have they got the pace of the ground.”
Rory McIlroy is well rested, despite a busy week off course last week, added McGinley.
He also reiterated his point last week that the legal disagreement going through the Irish courts involving McIlroy and McDowell was not an issue and if they did not play together that would not be the reason.
“Whether they will play together is another story,” he said.
McGinley is also happy with the state of his rookies, particularly home hero Stephen Gallacher, who missed the cut in his final tune-up at the Wales Open last week.
“Stevie’s had a tough three weeks,” he said. “I know what it’s like making your first team and particularly when it’s in your home country.
“Everywhere he looked, he saw billboards of himself, his mind was all over the place.
“He didn’t know the procedures and how many tickets he had and then in the middle of it all his grandmother died, who he was pretty close to.
“But I had dinner with him last week and he was very buoyant. He had a bad round on Thursday in Wales but a good one on Friday.
“I called him and told him to keep quiet at home, stay around his family and don’t go into public appearances or stuff like that.
“He’s here now and getting his feet under the table. He’ll be fine and a great addition to our team.”