Magic of Europe's charm offensive at Ryder Cup

The sight of Frenchman Thomas Levet walking across with a putter balanced on his chin, and a golf ball precariously perched on the putter's head, was the trigger.

As a charm offensive, it was magical — in every sense of the word.

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The sight of Frenchman Thomas Levet walking across the green with a putter balanced on his chin, and a golf ball precariously perched on the putter's head, was the trigger.

With his arms outstretched and his eyes firmly focused, the fun-loving Frenchman was the obvious centre of attention as hundreds of cameras clicked away.

For Ryder Cup fans on the first official practice day at Oakland Hills on September 14, this was a totally unexpected sight. Levet, a part-time conjurer when not playing golf, is a genuine man of the people and he was at the forefront of Bernhard Langer's ingenious ploy to win over the home fans at this year's Ryder Cup.

The ever-meticulous Langer told his 12-man team at the start of the week to make every effort to sign autographs, pose for pictures and interact with the galleries. The strategy proved to be a unqualified success.

By the end of the week, Europe had romped to a record-equalling victory over the United States by 18-1/2 points to 9-1/2, inflicting upon the Americans their heaviest defeat in the competition's 77-year history.