Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell expects a birdie blitz in this weekend's transatlantic showdown.

The Northern Irishman famously notched the winning point for Europe in the 2010 match at Celtic Manor with a 3&1 singles victory over Hunter Mahan.

McDowell is back in the inferno for a third Ryder Cup appearance and the former US Open champ is anticipating a hot reception.

Davis Love III, the American captain, has had the Medinah No.3 course set up in a way that encourages attacking golf with hardly any rough.

And McDowell, 33, believes that is a ploy to help get the home team on the offensive and whip up the partisan Chicago galleries.

McDowell, who has lost just two of his eight Ryder Cup matches since his debut in 2008, said: "The only thing that Davis can do this week is set up the course for scoring to get the crowds on their feet and get them charged up from the word go.

"I really think that that's their tactics, to get the crowds behind them. At Oakland Hills in 2004, the course was quite difficult and the crowd didn't really get behind their guys in a way they would've liked them to. Scoring was tough and it wasn't that exciting. It was a battle of attrition really which, obviously, Europe won very well.

"But Davis wants birdies and eagles to get the crowd fizzed up and make sure that they are 120% behind the guys. It's going to be exciting and it's going to be loud."

McDowell played the anchor role for Europe on the final day singles in the 2010 match and held his nerve under unbearable pressure to deliver the cup-winning point as Colin Montgomerie's battlers edged the contest by the narrowest of margins.

He added: "I can safely say that I don't think I've ever been as nervous on a golf course than I was that day for those last seven holes.

"You're just trying not to mess up and trying not to lose it for your team-mates. I could have 200,000 spectators watching me, but two of my team-mates watching, almost begging me to get the job done, is very intimidating and nerve-racking.

"You look at your team-mates and you know how they feel. They feel helpless because there's nothing more they can do. Thankfully I was able to do that and it was one of the most amazing moments of my career."

McDowell's stomach may have been churning on that occasion, but the former Dunhill Links champ insists those tense cup experiences will serve him well in the battles to come.

He admitted: "Experience will be a big key this week, just knowing what to expect.

"The big thing I've learned is that being nervous and anxious is not worth it because when the gun goes off you just have to go out there and play hard and aggressive because you know that if you don't shoot seven or eight-under you're going to lose.

"There's no room for anxiety about bad shots. Bogeys or doubles will not matter this week. It's all about the quality of your good shots, the holed putts, the chip-ins and just the exciting things. You have to enjoy the atmosphere, get charged up and enjoy the adrenaline that's going through your veins."

Team Europe has won four of the last five Ryder Cups but McDowell is not one to look at the record books. This is shaping up to be the closest contest in years and he is looking forward, not back.

He said: "I don't think history counts for much this week. Both teams are very talented and perhaps the two best teams that have ever been assembled in my opinion.

"I think maybe we are slight underdogs on paper with the US having home advantage and home crowds. But the Ryder Cup is in our team room and we certainly want to play hard and take it back to Europe with us.

"I don't think there is any advantage from history."