Thursday 18 September 2014 14:19, UK
Europe's Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has warned the US team cannot be written off and will be highly motivated for the biennial tournament.
The Irishman believes the public questioning of the make-up of the team, the choice of wild cards and the dip in form of its players can work in its favour, as has been witnessed by European teams in the past.
Speaking from Celtic Manor where the Wales Open gets underway on Thursday, McGinley said: "I think we've got a slightly different threat from America than we've had in the past as they really feel like they're underdogs and they're up against it.
"We will not be underestimating America. We will be absolutely ready for this."
The Ryder Cup starts on Friday week at Gleneagles, where Europe - the holders - will be hoping to follow up one of the most dramatic comebacks in the event's history when they won at Medinah in the US two years ago.
McGinley said: "I'm under no illusions whatsoever, neither are the players. I've spoken to them all and we're all really gung-ho and ready for this.
"This is not about being complacent. If we don't win this Ryder Cup it won't be because of complacency, I can assure you of that. We're very motivated.
"We know it's going to be a very strong American team, we know it's going to be a very strongly motivated team, and a strongly-led American team. This is going to be very, very difficult to win this Ryder Cup."
For McGinley, a player in 2002, 2004 and 2006, this will be his first as captain and his preparations have been detailed, right down to taking photos of the walk to the first tee at the Perthshire course allowing the players to know what to expect come September 26.
He himself has set out the course at the Wales Open to resemble Gleneagles so players have the chance to experience the challenges ahead.
"I've said before so many times about the examination paper that Gleneagles is going to pose," he said.
"I wanted to align the set up of this golf course very similar to that, preparing for the examination paper that's going to be next week but doing it in a competitive environment in a very good strong tournament like the Welsh Open."
He was relaxed, however, that not all his Ryder Cup team were at Celtic Manor to take up that chance.
"A lot of the players are resting now," he said. "Particularly the ones who played in America the last few weeks and right to the end of the Tour Championship. Obviously a rest is the most important thing for them.
"We've got three sets of fours, four guys doing their thing on their own, preparing, four guys playing here this week and then of course the guys who played last week need rest more than anything else.
"I'm delighted that the guys in America have got a week off to prepare - they need that. It didn't happen at Medinah and I think we suffered from that, some of our players suffered from fatigue as a result."
