After a week of being charmed by golfers in practice, Ryder Cup fans were quick to take sides yesterday as the US and Europe resumed golf's greatest grudge match.
Having spent a good part of their week wooing the galleries by signing hundreds of autographs and posing for pictures, Colin Montgomerie and his European team-mates appeared to have banked considerable goodwill going into the opening fourball matches.
But by the fourth hole and with the US marquee pairing of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson trailing, much of that had been spent as chants of "USA, USA" began to echo over the undulating Oakland Hills layout.
Loyalties that had been blurred by the week-long charm offensive quickly came into sharp focus with the US, as expected, garnering the majority of support from the estimated 50,000 spectators.
But a slow start by the Americans combined with a chilly morning and a sleepy crowd got one of golf's most intense events off to a subdued start as spectators initially held their tongues and golfers kept fist-pumping and high-fives to a minimum.
Before play, US captain Hal Sutton and his European opposite number Bernhard Langer had both made impassioned pleas to spectators and players to observe golf's etiquette and compete in a spirit of sportsmanship sadly lacking at recent Cups.
With only a few minor exceptions, spectators and golfers displayed model behaviour.
Montgomerie, a lightning rod for abuse and taunting, received a warm welcome from the gallery as he stepped up for his opening tee shot, breaking into a smile and giving the thumbs up to the crowd.
But the Scot's composure would be tested before the end of his round when a heckler blared: "Neither of these guys has won a major and they ain't going to win anything today".
The taunt did not appear to bother Montgomerie or his playing partner Padraig Harrington but annoyed fellow spectators. They booed the heckler, who turned and sheepishly melted into the gallery.
The blustery weather, a ban on the sale of alcohol and long line-ups to get on to the sprawling grounds had left the crowd in a surly mood, directing most of their barbs at the large media contingent following Woods and Mickelson rather than at the golfers themselves.
While Woods has lost the number one world ranking he remains the number one with the fans who offered encouragement with every shot and wolf whistles for girlfriend Elin Nordegren as she followed her fiance around the course.
Despite his recent slump in form, Woods was the man people came to see. Fans included NBA great Michael Jordan and former president George Bush.
Woods and his playing partner Mickelson could not oblige with a win, however, going down 2&1 to Montgomerie and Harrington to complete a dismal US start on a grey Michigan morning.
