Fred Funk thrilled to be part of Ryder Cup

American Ryder Cup rookie Fred Funk gained an early thrill when he was among the first to check into the U.S. team hotel on Sunday night.

The 48-year-old Funk, one of five debutants in Hal Sutton's side to take on Europe this week, was delighted pin ball machines and ping pong tables had been installed in the U.S. team room.

"It's pretty neat," Funk told reporters before playing a practice round with 2003 U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk at Oakland Hills on Monday.

"The way the floors are set up for us and also the team room, it's really exciting.

"We've got pin ball machines, ping pong and pool tables, even an arcade driving game. Plus a big screen television.

"And there's a lot of food. All the food and drink we could have in there.

"It's going to be great when we get together there every night," added Funk, who got his first taste of top-level team golf at last year's President Cup competition in South Africa.

"Obviously it's going to get more intense the closer we get to Friday, but this week is going to be incredible."

Funk, renowned for being one of the most accurate players in the game, was one of three American players to take an early look at the par-70 Oakland Hills layout in bright sunshine on Monday morning.

As he and Furyk prepared to tee off at the par-four 10th, U.S. Masters champion Phil Mickelson had just completed the first nine.

"It's pretty much like I remember it back at the (U.S.) Open in '96," the left-hander told reporters. "It's wonderful out there."

Asked what he thought the biggest test would be for the players this week, he replied: "It's hard to say so far because it varies from hole to hole. I'm just trying to get accustomed to the course."

Mickelson believes the U.S. will start as underdogs this week against holders Europe, who have won three of the last four matches.

"It's a very stressful time for us," he said, after firing a closing 68 at the Canadian Open on Sunday. "We want to win this.

"If you look at the last four, we lost three and we needed a great upset on Sunday (in 1999) to get that one win," he added.

"But I have a real gut feeling this year that this is going to be different, that the U.S. is going to come out really playing well on our home soil and play some of our best golf."

Bernhard Langer's European team were scheduled to fly into Detroit late on Monday afternoon.

The 35th Ryder Cup starts on Friday.