Hal Sutton: Losing hasn’t even crossed my mind

Twenty-three Ryder &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/sport/2002/07/13/32417.html' target=_blank>Cup players went to work on their games on Wednesday at Oakland Hills but one of the American trump cards was not among them.

U.S. Masters champion Phil Mickelson opted to take the day off two days before his team attempt to wrest the sport's greatest &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/sport/2002/05/08/28381.html' target=_blank>team title back from Bernhard Langer's European 12.

The decision to take a rest surprised many fans and players including Langer, but not Mickelson's own captain Hal Sutton.

Sutton defended Mickelson, who was already under fire for switching his club manufacturer two weeks before the Ryder Cup got underway.

"He told me this morning that he didn't play on Wednesdays of majors and he thought this was a major and he wasn't going to change his routine," Sutton told a news conference.

"I said, 'absolutely, don't change your routine. You do what you have to do'.", Reuters informed.

"That's probably the major reason why I think we're going to win this week. Losing hasn't even crossed my mind," Sutton said on Wednesday.