Lee and Hal, the rivals on a drive back from hell

It's been a rough year for two of Cup's strongest men. Andy Farrell reports

If the Ryder Cup is a cauldron, Hal Sutton found the right place to warm up. He is playing in the Tampa Bay Classic, where the temperature has soared above 100F and caddies have been falling like flies. It did not stop the 44-year-old spending hours on the practice range until his clothes were soaked.

Sutton, like six others in the two Ryder Cup teams, did not qualify for the AmEx World Championship in Ireland. He thought about resting at home but he said: "That's not my style. I wasn't going to gain any confidence sitting at home. I felt like it was a good idea to come here and play, and get something out of it."

That something was playing all four rounds. Sutton missed the cut in 15 out of his previous 24 events and has not had a top-10 finish since April last year. This time last year Sutton was 27th in the world rankings. He is now 121st. Only one player has suffered a worse decline – no prizes for guessing Lee Westwood, who has collapsed from 20th to 141st.

Westwood, whose last win was two years ago when he was the European No 1, was not in Ireland either but he has been at home. As his extensive acreage includes a practice range, he has also been working "vigorously" to prepare for The Belfry, which he played on Thursday.

"I would obviously prefer to be in Ireland but it was a chance to get a sneak preview and I was delighted with the set-up," Westwood said. "I played well and, as it is a course I enjoy, I now could not be looking forward to the Ryder Cup more."

On Friday Westwood visited Lindrick, drawing further inspiration from the scene of Great Britain and Ireland's famous victory in 1957. "Hopefully, things are coming together at the right time for me," he added. In his last event, the German Masters last weekend, Westwood made the cut for only the 12th time in 22 tournaments this year. It was the first in a while at which Westwood did not make double-bogey or worse, something he is using as a spur to feel more positive.

After working hard on the range and in the gym – he is in his best physical shape ever – what seemed to dishearten Westwood most in recent weeks was having 15 or so good holes but ruining his score on the other three. The US PGA, where the doubles and triples mounted up, was a classic example. This, however, is less of a worry in fourballs than in medal play and it would be a surprise if Westwood is not alongside Darren Clarke, a partnership which defeated Tiger Woods and David Duval at Brookline on the Friday morning.

Despite their tournament form, both Westwood and Sutton should have a big impact next week. "What they bring to the Ryder Cup is experience and that is priceless," said Clarke. "In our locker room Lee is hugely respected for what he has achieved. He has won a lot of tournaments and he has been in the Ryder Cup before and I'm sure that will stand him in good stead. In the Ryder Cup you can get away with making a few mistakes whereas in strokeplay everything is highlighted."

Westwood added: "From the moment the first ball is hit on Friday, I don't think form will make much difference. It is a unique occasion which makes unique demands."

Sutton was the leading scorer for the States at Brookline, with three wins and a half in five matches, and he provided a vital presence in the team room. "He's the kind of guy you want on your team," said Curtis Strange, the US captain. "I don't give a damn how he's playing. He was a rock in '99 and I expect him to be near the same thing. It doesn't bother me that he's not at the top of his form because he's the kind of guy you always want to go in to battle with."

Arguably, Sutton has already helped his team. He and David Toms, last year's US PGA champion, both live in Shreveport, Louisiana, and it was natural for the rookie to turn to Sutton for advice. "He is the kind of guy you want to talk about the Ryder Cup with because he's competitive, a very spirited guy and he's given me some insight into what to expect," Toms said. "It has been fun listening to all the stories of the guys he's played with over the years."

Sutton's problems began last summer when he was diagnosed with sleep apnea, a condition that, at its worst, meant his breathing stopped up to 40 times an hour during the night. He now has to wear an air-flow mask connected to a portable oxygen supply to sleep and will have to deal with the condition for the rest of his life.

Then, in April, he injured a rib muscle and had to miss the Masters, while he also has a troublesome back. "Frankly, I'm getting tired of getting asked about my game every week," said Sutton, a sentiment with which Westwood would agree. "But let's face it. At some point you know age is going to affect you.

"I could feel something in my swing for a year or so but couldn't fix it. Finally, after The Open, it got so bad I had to introduce my arms and my body to each other and get them working together again. Golf is a silly game. I thought I had everything in place to stop this sort of thing happening, but it can still overcome you."