Padraig Harrington, center, got in some practice Wednesday with Jose Maria Olazabal, left, and Jarmo Sandelin.

"It inspires you, really, to have 30,000 people watch you hit practice shots. It means there's something special about this week."

Harrington was not only buoyed by Boston's large and supportive Irish population, but by the familiar feel of the old layout where the biennial match-play competition between the United States and Europe will be staged.

"It looks like sort of a European-style golf course designed in the States a number of years ago," said Harrington about the track whose first holes were laid out in 1893. "It's just a very traditional course from what we would consider an old-style course in, say Great Britain or Ireland."

Harrington, 28, said he was not sure how many matches he would be asked to play in but that it did not matter.

"I think we realize whether we play all five matches or just play one match Sunday, everybody on the team plays an essential part. The fact that somebody's in good spirits even if they're not playing may boost the guys who are playing.

"And so it's going to be a team effort and regardless of how many times you play, you still have to support the team and be there for the team."

Building on the past
Jean Van de Velde, fully recovered from his infamous collapse in the British Open, is thoroughly enjoying being the first Frenchman to play in the Ryder Cup matches.

"The atmosphere here is fantastic, and the people are very encouraging and very helpful," Van de Velde said Wednesday just before a practice round in the rain.

Van de Velde, whose shocking triple bogey on the 72nd hole at Carnoustie cost him the lead and led to a playoff loss in the British Open in July, said he would draw strength from his experience at Carnoustie, where Ryder Cup teammate Paul Lawrie beat him and American Justin Leonard in the playoff.