Hal Sutton, the US Ryder Cup captain, reckoned that the wives and significant others could be worth as much as half a point to his players. He said: "They have an opportunity to make a difference - and I want them not to be afraid to make a difference." The women are going to have to work overtime after his men's dire start.
The distaff team had looked all business as they trooped down the clubhouse stairs on the way to the first tee, dressed in electric-blue tops and grey skirts or trousers and clutching the kneelers issued to those with access inside the ropes.
At least Ashley Sutton, who worked with Teri Schleifer of the clothing company Fairway and Greene to design the one-off wardrobe, had not asked for a feminine version of the stetson her husband wore on the first tee. The brief was something "very classic, very beautiful and traditional, along the lines of Katherine Hepburn", said Schleifer.
It needed to be practical as well, given the demands of tramping the fairways in pursuit of your man. Blonde many of the wives may be, but these are no bimbos, rather strong, independent women in the tradition of Barbara Nicklaus, who raised five children while Jack was winning majors. They are both knowledgeable and enthusiastic and very much a part of the team effort, though only Phil Mickelson spent more time away from the course beforehand.
"There was no shopping," said Caroline Harrington, as she watched her husband Padraig and Colin Montgomerie take on Tiger Woods and Mickelson. "I've not been inside one shop, but there's been a lot of hair, make-up, nails and fashion.Why can't this be two weeks long?"
The fun stopped yesterday, however. Caroline said: "Padraig was up at 10 past five so it was one-up, all-up. The girls met in the team room at seven and left at 7.30 a.m. - it was so busy I didn't have time to think."
The Dubliner, bubbly and outgoing, is not one to watch a match a la Henman, stoic and controlled and showing little emotion. She lets everyone know how she is feeling.
When her husband rolled home a 30-footer for an unlikely birdie at the eighth, Caroline, sitting cross-legged with other black-clad European supporters, raised her arms as the ball tracked towards the hole, then clapped and cheered when it fell in.
Then it was off, ever onwards, incorporating themselves into the swarm of the yellow-bibbed press pack.
Life was a little quieter elsewhere with Miguel Angel Jimenez, armed with shooting stick, softly urging a Darren Clarke putt holewards: "Vamos, vamos."
The ball ignored her and stayed above ground.
Wives have privileges and being close to the action is perceived as one of them, though yesterday morning some of the Americans might have preferred to be far, far away. Most family members, however, have to keep an eye on their loved ones from a distance.
Phil Mickelson Snr relies on one of the periscopes he sells in the merchandise tent to keep tabs on his son. "I can see Phil change his ball with this," he said of his latest, model.
And check his good loser, hand-shaking technique as well, presumably.
