By Tony Jimenez, GLENEAGLES, Scotland (Reuters) – Some sage advice from 2004 European Championship captain Bernhard Langer helped Martin Kaymer readjust to life in the Ryder Cup “jungle” after a nervous debut, the U.S. Open champion said on Thursday. The young German told a news conference he was surprised when he first experienced the electrifying atmosphere and hustle and bustle of the biennial match against the United States at Celtic Manor in Wales in 2010. “When I stood on the first tee, it was very intimidating for me,” Kaymer said on the eve of the 40th Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. “It was too much, I couldn’t really handle the whole situation. I don’t know how to explain it but it was a bit like playing in the jungle. “In 2012 I had a very nice chat with Bernhard and the moral of the chat was that at the end of the day there is only you, the golf ball and the golf course you have to play on. If the people weren’t there, that would be it, it’s quite simple.” Langer’s chat with his fellow German paid off immediately when Kaymer holed a knee-shaking 1.80m putt in Medinah two years ago to defend the trophy for Europe. “We talked about it, imagine if you could use the thousands of people in a positive way for you, that they carry you, there’s nothing negative about that,” Kaymer added. “In 2010 it wasn’t so clear to me, now it’s a bit different. You can use it to improve your game.” Kaymer certainly improved his game in Medinah, at a time when the 2010 US PGA champion had suffered a major slump in form. However, the clarity of thought he showed when faced with his decisive putt on the 18th green against Steve Stricker was an example of German efficiency at its best. “I don’t want to sound too arrogant, but I never had the slightest doubt that I would miss, that never crossed my mind,” said Kaymer. “I tried to explain it to a good friend and he had no idea what I was talking about because it’s one of those things where you don’t have a choice if you miss – it’s not an option. I knew exactly what I had to do, I knew exactly the limit, the only thing you had to do was do it. It’s quite nice to get to know yourself that way because I wasn’t afraid of failure. I think a lot of guys – and you see that in other Sports – sometimes are afraid of winning because it is a different situation, it can be uncomfortable. For me it was a nice situation.” (Edited by Pritha Sarkar)