Hazeltine National's first tee was a mixture of rowdiness and reverence as the 41st Ryder Cup got under way on a misty morning.
There were the obligatory chants of 'U-S-A' from the majority of home fans assembled in the packed grandstand but there was also a song for Arnold Palmer, the golfing great who died on Sunday aged 87.
By way of an official tribute, Palmer's golf bag from when he was Ryder Cup captain in 1975 was placed on the tee box.
In the stands there were fans dressed as vikings - as Minnesota's American football team are so named - with one supporter bizarrely dressed as former American president Abraham Lincoln with the Stars and Stripes draped around his shoulders.
European fans were massively outnumbered but what they lacked in bodies they made up for in a wider variety of songs, with the now seemingly obligatory Will Grigg-themed song getting an airing along the lines of "Europe's on fire, America is terrified".
In the pre-amble before the players arrived music was pumped into the amphitheatre with the crowd urged to ramp up the volume with an airing of 'Let's Go Crazy' by Minneapolis-born Prince, who died in April this year.
But when Europe's Justin Rose stepped up to hit the first drive in the foursomes the crowd fell silent and you could the hear the proverbial pin drop.
Rose, with a cheeky wink to the television cameras, smashed a perfect drive down the middle and was his effort was matched by USA opponent Patrick Reed, although the loudest cheers were reserved for his partner Jordan Spieth.
It was a similar story for rookie Andy Sullivan in the next group after he was given the honour by world number three Rory McIlroy.
There were chants of 'Let's go Lefty' for Phil Mickelson but it was Rickie Fowler who was first off for the Americans in match two.
For all the boisterousness of the crowd the only issue came from a camera at the back of the stand behind the tee which fired off several shots at the top of Martin Kaymer's backswing in match three.
USA vice-captain Bubba Watson pointed out who he thought was the offender and asked for him to be removed but the problem actually appeared to be a fixed-point, remote-controlled camera.
European rookie Danny Willett's brother Peter caused a storm earlier in the week with a column in which he described American fans as, among other things, "cretins" for the way they shout out random things for no apparent reason.
Just when it looked like he would be proved wrong, a solitary 'Baba Booey' rang out as Lee Westwood pushed his drive into a bunker.
Back in the UK you could almost imagine Peter Willett saying 'I told you so' - even if the fall-out from his comments contributed to his brother, the reigning Masters champion, losing his place for the morning foursomes after losing focus and playing badly in final practice.
His chance will come in the afternoon fourballs when, after a few hours' drinking time, the Yorkshireman may find the Americans have come up with some rather more pointed shouts.
Source: PA
