By all accounts, the USA’s Ryder Cup defeat last Sunday has generated more fall out than a nuclear war. At this fevered, mouth-frothing rate, the PGA of America will have to commission their own Protect and Survive pamphlet and a sombre public information film narrated by Patrick Allen to help folk get through this golfing armageddon.

In the hours after the USA’s heavy loss to Europe at Le Golf National, there were a variety of tales emerging of unrest within the camp.

Patrick Reed was less than complimentary about Jordan Spieth while reports of a scuffle/fight/brawl/full-scale riot, depending on which hysterical-ometer you gauged, between Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson at the players’ party spread quicker than a bush fire.

Plonked in front of the media ahead of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, Koepka acted swiftly to pour a big bucket of cold water on this tittle-tattle.

“This Dustin thing I don’t get,” said the reigning US Open and PGA champion. “There was no fight, no argument. He is one of my best friends. We talked on the phone on Monday and yesterday so tell me how we fought, I don’t know. People like to make a story and run with it and it is not the first time a story has come out that is not true.”

In a crash, bang, wallop age of internet intrusion and rabid hyperbole, where every cough, wheeze and snort made by people in the spotlight can be elevated in an instant to a seemingly earth-shattering event, the laid back Koepka was clearly brassed off by the whole hoopla.

“The problem is you guys try to find a reason why we lost,” he added. “We didn’t play well, we didn’t hit fairways and I lost two matches. If I win those, if Tiger wins his, Dustin lost one with me. If we go there and play how we are supposed to play we win, it’s as simple as that. We didn’t play well enough and we lost, it’s just you guys trying to find an excuse why we didn’t win, it’s that simple.”

Koepka has had more serious issues to concern himself with than stories of a hand bags at 10 paces skirmish with a team-mate. The unfortunate incident he was involved with on the sixth hole at the weekend, where his wayward shot hit a spectator and has subsequently led to the grim prognosis that she may lose her sight in one eye, has left Koepka in an understandably anguished fankle.

“Yesterday was one of the worst days of my life,” he said after hearing news of the severity of the woman’s injury. “I haven’t had too many tragedies in my personal family where there has been a loss or any accident.

“I’ve been lucky in that sense and I wasn’t told until I got to the golf course. I’m not the biggest guy on social media so when I got here and had 25 messages I was heartbroken. My stomach sank and yesterday was probably one of the hardest days of trying to focus on playing golf, knowing what is going to come.

“It’s sad and I am torn up about it. I’d like to keep that personal between me and her and I don’t see why it’s anyone else’s business. It’s sad she won’t see out of her eye ever again. It’s upsetting. I hit a golf ball and someone lost their sight in their eye.

“The European Tour and the PGA Tour do an unbelievable job on the set-up but unfortunately we can’t always hit the fairway every time. That’s the worst part. We reached out to Mrs Remande and her husband to see how things are going and we didn’t hear back last night. I’m looking forward to speaking to her today or in the next few days because there is nobody who feels worse about this than I do.

“It’s a tragic accident and I’m heartbroken, I’m all messed up inside. In my career it will be the one shot I definitely regret even though everyone from the Ryder Cup and the PGA of America have assured me she will get the care she needs.”

Away from Koepka’s woes and worries, there was a lighter side to the build-up to this week’s celebrity-infused, £3.85 million bonanza. Tommy Fleetwood, still riding the wave of Europe’s momentous Ryder Cup win, breezed into the Auld Grey Toun as happy as Larry. There was one thing missing, of course; Francesco Molinari.

The devastating partnership Fleetwood forged with the inspired Italian – the duo won four out of four as a pair at Le Golf National – led to the rise of the cult of ‘Moliwood’ as this golfing double act became the most talked about relationship in Paris since Simone de Beauvoir hooked up with Jean-Paul Sartre.

They were inseparable in the city of love while an online video of them cuddled up in bed in the jubilant aftermath of Sunday’s win proved they were game for a laugh too. Seeing Fleetwood without Molinari by his side was almost akin to glimpsing Rod Hull without Emu back in the day.

“Separation anxiety is high right now,” said Fleetwood with a smile. “I sent Frankie a text last night to say I missed him and I haven’t spoken to him this morning so it’s a struggle. I haven’t really come out the bubble of the Ryder Cup team yet so it’s back to reality a bit here.”

While this week’s Pro-Am affair is a world away from the heart-racing intensity of the Ryder Cup arena, there is plenty at stake and the vast prize fund on offer means Fleetwood can make a dent in Molinari’s lead at the top of the Race to Dubai rankings with a good showing on Scottish soil.

“There is still plenty of golf to be played and there are still six or seven tournaments on the schedule,” said Fleetwood, who was Europe’s No 1 in 2017. “I’ve still got a chance in the Race to Dubai, I’ve got tournaments I can win and there are things I’d like to do and like to achieve. There is still plenty to look forward to.”

Fleetwood’s European team-mate, Tyrrell Hatton is back in his happy hunting ground aiming for three Dunhill Links titles in a row. The 26-year-old is a combined 47-under-par for his last two outings in this event and he will tee-up again in fine fettle with the feel-good factor from Le Golf National giving him that extra spring in the step.

“It was obviously a very special week and it’s memories which will last a lifetime,” he reflected. “From the start of the week I knew it was going to be something special and there was a fantastic chemistry among the team from the start

“This week is definitely more relaxed than other weeks which helps me. It’s great to be back. My game is in a good place. I’ll be trying my best this week to make it three in a row. I don’t see why I can’t do that.”