Fred Funk's diminutive stature belies a big personality. At 48, he'll make his Ryder Cup debut this week, but the traditional claustrophobic pressure that assails rookies in this format of golf is unlikely to prove as suffocating for the Maryland native.

Funk expects to be nervous but won't be cowed by the expectation of the American galleries at Oakland Hills. He revels in the banter with fans, articulating his feelings as he strides from green to tee-box, smiling and joking.

In a sanitised environment where most professional golfers seem impervious to their surroundings, eyes fixed firmly ahead and captivated only by their own travails, it's hardly surprising that Funk is a popular player.

His delight in the "day job" probably stems from his beginnings in the sport. Having embraced the game as a 10-year-old, he was sure within four years that he wanted to be a professional, but his dream was to remain unfilled for quite some time.

He failed at the US Tour School on three successive occasions from 1984-86, and then received a more serious setback when he tore a rotator cuff in his shoulder in 1987. He opted to take up a coaching role at the University of Maryland, and it wasn't until 1988, aged 32, that he negotiated tour school. It would require another visit 12 months later to retain his tour status.

Once ensconced among the top professionals he quickly adapted to the environment, finishing in the top 10 three times in 1990. Since then he has amassed five tour victories: the Shell Houston Open (1992), Ideon Classic (1995), the Buick Challenge (1995), the BC Open (1996) and the Deposit Guaranty Classic (1998).

Renowned for his precision off the tee, Funk may be a relatively short hitter by modern standards but he has led the US Tour in driving accuracy in 1995, '96, '99, 2000, '03 and again this year. His wish list for this week is to be paired with one of the power players like Tiger Woods, Davis Love or Stewart Cink, although the foursomes format, where he's likely to be included, confuses him.

"It's such an awkward deal. I don't know whether you put an accurate player like me with a power player, or do you put a similar game with me. I couldn't really tell what happened at the President's Cup. I played two alternate shot matches and still came away confused, trying to figure out which is the better strategy.

"On this golf course it's important to keep it on the fairway. Mind you, if I got paired with a power player like Tiger, Davis, Stewart or Kenny, they wouldn't be used to hitting it from as far back. For me it would be nice to be going into the green with a shorter club. Hopefully it would be a win/win situation with a power player alongside."

Funk has enjoyed the whole ambience of the American camp this week, especially palling round with his contemporaries like Jay Haas and captain Hal Sutton. He's also relished the opportunity to spend some quality time with the septuagenarian assistant captain Jackie Burke.

"Jackie Burke is an in-your-face type of guy and has loads of anecdotes. You need a stenographer to get down all his quotes and anecdotes, because every sentence that's out of his mouth is quotable. It's not always printable, but it's quotable.

"He's a character, and Hal's an in-your-face guy too. He's been awesome. I've seen a side of Hal that I knew was there because of his personality but in a different way; the way he is guiding his troops. There's a huge amount of pride there. You can't get more patriotic than Hal and Jackie."

Funk is conscious that the euphoria and wise-cracking during the early period of this week will give way to apprehension as the time to tee it up gets ever closer. He's been given a stay of execution in that respect by not being included in this morning's fourballs, but the probability is that he'll go to the gate in the afternoon.

"It's easy until the gun sounds. Everyone has to deal with that situation themselves."

If Funk stays true to form that means a smile and a word here and there. The galleries here will appreciate that.