A number of Europe's Ryder Cup stars were spotted on the K Club fairways today in what appears to be an impromptu practice visit to the Kildare venue ahead of the showdown in two weeks time.

The Irish pair of Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke, along with England the English trio of Luke Donald, Paul Casey and David Howell plus Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal took advantage of a week away from competition to reacquaint themselves with the Palmer Course.

Ian Woosnam's two vice-captains, Des Smyth and Peter Baker, were also present at today's practice.

Just last week US captain Tom Lehman masterminded something of a coup to get all 12 members  of his team together for a two-day reconnaissance mission to Ireland. Through the PGA of America Lehman chartered a jet to take his team to Ireland straight after the WGC - Bridgestone Invitational in Akron Ohio.

It was quite a feat by Lehman considering the world number one and two in Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson rearranged prior engagements to ensure the 12-man team was travelled together as a collective unit. So dedicated to the cause was Mickelson that he reorganised an engagement from seven months ago.

As for today's visit to the K Club by the European sextet, this was on a much more informal level which was organised by the players themselves.

"Several of the European Ryder Cup team were at the K Club to get some practice in," confirmed Gordon Simpson, Director of Communications at the European Tour. "Unlike the American visit  last week this was not arranged in conjunction with ourselves at the European Tour."

"Perhaps the guys felt it was easy for them to travel to Ireland, play some golf and get back home in the same day. Padraig (Harrington) certainly wouldn't have had too far to travel," added Simpson.

It is understood Woosnam had asked Howell and Donald several weeks ago to make sure they visit the K Club before the event because they had missed the European Open, which is held there, in recent years. As the two Englishmen made the trip it also made sense for Casey to make the visit with his countrymen.

Paul McGinley makes up the trio of Irishmen on Woosie's European side and he is one of the team members who opted to compete in this week's Barclay's Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club.

It was hoped that the Dubliner's form would return after the race for places on Woosie's team concluded at the BMW Championship in Munich last week where McGinley missed the cut. However, the 39-year-old is still struggling to find his game as he opened with a five-over 76 in Singapore to be nine shots off the lead.