Tommy Fleetwood may be going up against familiar friends at this week's Hero Cup but the Great Britain & Ireland captain insists the competition will be fierce at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
The Englishman will lead his 10-strong team as a playing skipper against a Continental Europe side helmed by great friend Francesco Molinari, alongside whom he famously claimed four points out of four as part of 'Moliwood' at the 2018 Ryder Cup.
All players will play all sessions across the three days of competition, with five sets of four-balls on Friday, tens sets of foursomes on Saturday and ten singles matches on Sunday.
And while the atmosphere has so far been relaxed among 20 players who play together on the DP World Tour most weeks, Fleetwood insists they will be all business inside the ropes.
"If we're not going to be competitive, what's the point?" he said. "I would love to be a winning captain and there's no better feeling than winning with your team-mates. I'm sure both sides are going to be really up for it. As soon as you get out there those competitive juices start flowing and everybody will give it 100 per cent for their team-mates.
"We all play within the spirit of the game and we all play against each other week in, week out, this is just slightly different that we've got a bunch of us playing against another bunch.
"Every week we play and compete we're playing against the same people. We all have a shared love for the game, a shared passion for chasing our dreams and you can only respect and appreciate that.
"You just go out there and be yourself and try and win, that's all you've got to do, and at the end of it we'll shake hands and have a good time after.
"I've been on winning teams and I've been on losing teams and as long as you look everybody in the eye at the end of it and everybody has given 100 per cent for themselves and each other then that's all you can ever ask for. That's all I would ever ask for from anybody.
"I've enjoyed the weeks that we've lost and I've enjoyed the weeks that we've won. Winning is way better but equally these times that we get to share with team-mates, playing as a team and coming together, those things stay with you forever and we'll just give it 100 per cent and go from there."
Fleetwood is no stranger to team competition, having twice played in the Ryder Cup and in many other events both as a professional and an amateur.
Former Ryder Cup skippers Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjørn, along with current captain Luke Donald, spoke to both teams on Tuesday night and Fleetwood feels he has learned from all his previous leaders as he looks to guide his own team to victory.
"It's different role for me, getting the chance to experience being a captain," he said. "It's very, very cool and something that I'll hold in high regard whatever happens in my career.
"I've played team events as a professional and as an amateur and I've always tried to take everything in on that I thought particular captains did well, how our teams performed best together and the environment that you try to create.
"There's a generation of players and a group of players that are coming through. I'm not an old person, I'm 31, but the younger guys are 20, 21, 22, 23. I'll share some of my experiences.
"I definitely am still going to be growing into it throughout this week. I think the most important thing is to read the players and make sure they are comfortable as possible and make sure that if there's anything you can do to help them be in the best possible place individually to perform at their best, then that's all you can do."
