LEAVE it to Peter Lonard, that plain-speaking sage from south-west Sydney, to dissect the cultural dichotomies between the International team and the US at the Presidents Cup.

"The main difference is that we don't get our knickers in a twist if someone calls us arseholes," Lonard said yesterday.

As if to illustrate his point, an hour later on a steamy afternoon at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Tiger Woods was asked about the hat emblazoned with the words "Tiger Who?" that Vijay Singh's caddie Paul Tesori wore when the two played in the singles here five years ago.

Suddenly, what had been a light-hearted mood, filled with talk of detente and friendly competition, grew solemn.

"I certainly didn't appreciate it," Woods said.

"I thought it wasn't real respectful. I know he tried to do it in fun, but I didn't take it that way.