ESPN 2008 Ryder Cup

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Those who have watched him play golf know that Boo Weekley is much more than a cartoon character, as he is often portrayed. The man can strike a golf ball. Boy, can he strike a golf ball.

That fact was often lost coming into the 37th Ryder Cup matches at Valhalla Golf Club, where Weekley and his country charm were viewed as comic relief more than a provider of points.

"He is hysterical," noted U.S. captain Paul Azinger on Saturday night. "But Boo has a great game. We knew he was a player. Probably the best ball striker on the team."

Weekley's contribution to the American effort was far bigger than the chaw of tobacco often wedged between his cheek and gum. He made three birdies in his fourball match with partner J.B. Holmes and contributed to 10 holes of the 2 and 1 victory over Lee Westwood and Soren Hansen.

And as it turned out, that point in the afternoon best-ball competition turned out to be huge.

While the Americans take a 9-7 lead into Sunday's singles format, they got just one outright victory on Saturday afternoon, and it was from the Weekley-Holmes duo. The other matches ended with two ties and a win for the Europeans.

Nobody quite knew how Boo, who lives in Milton, Fla., would react on this stage. The man who wrestled alligators and once got knocked out by an orangutan (true story) at a country fair barely knew the rules of match play just six months ago. It is a story for which he still receives grief, but playing in his first Accenture Play Match Championship, Weekley got all the way to the first green of the competition before being informed by his caddie that he was allowed to concede putts.

"I told the PGA of America that he would be maybe the greatest character to ever come from America to play on a Ryder Cup team and represent this country, and so far it seems to be the case," Azinger said. "I mean some of these things that he says ... you can't script it. He's just a terrific player, a terrific man, and we've all really fallen in love with him this week. He's been great to have around."

There were still doubts on Friday when, after playing beautifully against Westwood and Karlsson and taking a 1-up lead to the 18th tee, both Weekley and Holmes promptly pumped their tee shots into the water. A big no-no, especially in match play with a lead. Get the ball in the fairway, make the opponent beat you.

But the half point was still valuable, especially coming against Westwood, one of Europe's most accomplished players. And the win on Saturday was even bigger, considering it was the first loss for Westwood since singles of the 2002 Ryder Cup. That was a span of 12 matches, tying Arnold Palmer for the longest stretch without a defeat.

"The adrenaline ... I feel like a dog that somebody done stuck a needle to and it juiced me up like I've been running around a Greyhound track chasing one of them bunnies," Weekley said. "Yeah, it's amazing."

A day earlier, Westwood had been mildly critical of Weekley, who embraced the Ryder Cup home course advantage by attempting to get the crowd behind the U.S. team. He continually waved his arms to pump up the crowd, but often did so before his opponents still had a shot to play.

To his credit, Weekley apologized to Westwood, and picked his spots on Saturday as fans "Booooed" him every step of the way.

"I didn't want to be disrespectful," Weekley said. "The crowds, they're great, and we want them to be behind us, but at the same time have a little more respect. I kind of felt a little bad in some ways, but in some ways I wasn't because this is what they come to see. This is it. This is our stage of being here, and they want to see us win."

If the U.S. is able to win for the first time since 1999, the Americans might very well look back on a couple of shots Weekley hit on the back nine Saturday. He stiffed an iron shot to the par-3 14th hole to give the U.S. a 2-up advantage a hole after the Europeans had just pulled with one.

And then came his 143-yard shot at the par-4 15th from a fairway bunker. He struck it cleanly, and saw the ball trickle just past the hole for a certain birdie. Although Westwood also made birdie, it kept the Americans 2 up.

Asked later where that shot ranked, Boo gave a typical Boo answer: "I'd have to say about No. 9. I done had eight hole in one, so I have to put that one after it."

Weekley, 35, has two PGA Tour victories, both at the Verizon Heritage. He never got serious about golf until high school, when he realized it might help get out of class. Golf became a career option because he realized he could hit a ball unlike many others.

Among the jobs were time spent picking cotton and soybeans on his grandparents' farm near Milton. He also had a run as a hydro-blaster at a Pensacola, Fla., chemical plant where he would wear rain gear and a bulletproof vest for protection before being lowered into steaming hot tanks with a high-pressure hose to clean up.

That followed a year at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Ga., where too much partying and not enough studying meant a trip home. When gainful employment didn't work out, he started playing mini-tour golf and realized he was pretty good.

Boo made the tour in 2002, but failed and went back to golf's minor leagues before resurfacing a year ago.

"His swing has so much rhythm," said NBC's Johnny Miller. "It's got its own little flair to it."

That doesn't mean Weekley doesn't feel the heat. He admitted being very nervous on Friday, although his caddie, Joe Pyland, said "I don't think he cares about pressure. I think he thrives on it. He's a money player."

Perhaps Pyland has been around Boo so long, he doesn't see the stress. And there is no doubt that Weekley leans on his caddie for comfort.

"When I got a big shot to play, I always tell myself the same thing: 'This shot is not life threatening,' " Weekley said. "My caddie, Joe Pyland, did two tours with the army in Iraq so I look over at him and realize that the worse thing that can happen to me is being stung by a bee or bitten by an ant. Somehow that really calms me down."

A bee sting may actually be better than the final-day steam bath that is the Ryder Cup, which Weekley will get to experience in full force on Sunday. He'll be alone, playing a match against England's Oliver Wilson, who is also a Ryder Cup rookie and helped earn his team a valuable point on Saturday.

They go off sixth, in the middle of the pack, a perfect analogy for Boo -- chasing one of them bunnies.

Bob Harig covers golf for ESPN.com. He can be reached at BobHarig@gmail.com.