Weekley glad he answered World Cup call

World number 43 Boo Weekley was not exactly America's first choice for this week's World Cup but it would be hard to find a player more committed to the cause.

Weekley and his childhood friend Heath Slocum celebrated Thanksgiving by combining for an 11-under-par 61 and a one-stroke lead after the first round fourballs at Mission Hills in China on Thursday.

They are hoping to take the trophy back to the US for the 24th time and emulate such illustrious American World Cup winners as Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus.

Weekley said he was honoured to represent the US and would not have been able to turn down the call even if he was one of the Americans who currently make up the world's top four.

"I don't think I could," he said. "But I mean that's me, you know."

Weekley's visit to China is only the third time he has left the US and he admitted to not knowing much about the country apart from "rice" and the Great Wall.

"It's a culture shock for me to come out and see different things because I'm a home boy," he said.

"I like to stay right around the house in the States... If I was home right now, I'd be deer hunting."

That is exactly what he was doing when he was asked to go to China, an invitation he said had almost moved him to tears.

"I think I was up a tree deer hunting at the time I got the call," he recalled.

"I nearly about cried because just to be able to know I can come over and represent the United States... And then to be able to call one of my good friends up and ask him to play with me, that's even better."

Asked whether the pair had received good luck messages from any of their better-known compatriots Woods and Phil Mickelson, Weekley let his 70th-ranked partner take the question.

"We didn't," Slocum said. "But I mean, I'm sure they are pulling for us."