Luke Donald's diamond-patterned sleeveless jumpers are a throwback to older fashion days. Yet, this product of the American collegiate system - where he won the NCAA individual title in 1999 - is no rough diamond.
He has made the smooth transition into the world of professional golf, where he has won on both the US Tour and the European Tour, and is very much living in the present.
And, increasingly, it looks like he could have something to offer to Europe's Ryder Cup team.
For much of the early part of the summer, that didn't seem to be the case, particularly since the 26-year-old Englishman had refused to commit to the necessary 11 tournaments in Europe required for him to be selected.
However, the move to ease the requirements, with players obliged to play that number only if they actually made the team, brought Donald back into the equation.
Yesterday, playing in only his third major in the United States (he finished tied-18th in the US Open at Bethpage in 2002 and tied-23rd at last year's US PGA in Rochester), Donald tagged on a second-round 73 to his opening 67 to move to four-under-par 140 and afterwards claimed that he had improved a lot since his earlier major appearances in the States.
"I've improved, my game's a lot better and I feel really good at the moment," he said. "I'm looking forward to the weekend. I should be in a good position to challenge if the weather stays like this. I'm playing well and, if I continue to putt well, then I'll be right there."
No doubt Bernhard Langer will keep a close eye on Donald as he attempts to handle the pressure over the weekend, but the player was more intent on focusing on the US PGA - the season's final major - than looking at Ryder Cup permutations.
So far, Langer has not given any indication to Donald if he'd be a likely wild-card pick but his Walker Cup record - just one loss in helping to win the trophy on two occasions - could yet be a factor.
"Obviously, Bernhard's got his own thought processes when picking the team. But I have a good record in the Walker Cup. I enjoy matchplay. If I could play a Ryder Cup, that would be great.
"I'm trying not to think about it too much," said Donald, who won last month's Scandinavian Masters.
"Obviously, I'd love to make the Ryder Cup team. It's a goal of mine. But I'm trying to take every week as it comes. You know, this is a good start in a major for me and I'm really just trying to play good golf and let the rest take care of itself."
Donald took a leaf out of Phil Mickelson's book on how to prepare for a major by missing out on last week's International tournament on the US Tour in order to make the road trip up from Chicago, where he lives, to practise on the Whistling Straits course. "I went home and practised a lot of long irons," he said.
While he failed to fire as many birdies yesterday, and included two three-putts in taking a total of 31 (four more than Thursday), Donald has at least put himself in a position to make a move over the weekend. Whether it's enough to convince Herr Langer of his readiness for the Ryder Cup, though, remains to be seen.
