Patrick Reed knows he will be the villain of the piece during the Ryder Cup, admitting Captain America has few admirers in Europe.

The Masters champion is often a target of jeers from opposing fans during the country-versus-continent clash and he expects more of the same at Le Golf National this week.

Reed, who has earned the Captain America nickname for his evident patriotism, has shown that he can thrive even in the most hostile of atmospheres and is not afraid to engage with his hecklers, famously offering 'shush' gestures during each of the last two Ryder Cups.

But the 28-year-old says no disrespect is intended in the way he is treated or the manner in which he reacts.

"I think the biggest thing is I know it's playfulness," he said. "They are not booing me. Like in 2014, they didn't boo me because of anything that was disrespectful or because they didn't like me.

"Just because when Henrik [Stenson], their guy, makes a putt, the crowd goes nuts, and then when I made the putt, I told them to shush, quiet down. The match is only six holes in and we're only all-square.

"I think that elevated 2014, the rest of that round, because as the round went on, the crowds got louder and louder. You know, different chants came out, and as I would walk up towards a green, if he was inside me, you would just hear 'shhhh' as I'm walking up because all the fans are doing it to me."

Far from being daunted by the prospect of having a target on his back in France, Reed is positively excited about it.

"It's just something fun to be able to come over and relish," he added.

"Coming overseas, Captain America, I was supposed to be the villain, just like when Ian Poulter comes to the States, he's the villain.

"So you expect to hear the fans kind of go back and forth with you. If it's not happening, it probably means you're not playing very well, and they are just like, 'all right, we've got him in check.'

"I love it when we can interact with the fans and get going, because there's no other event that you can do that at."