Sutton pairs Woods and Mickelson

Hal Sutton has decided to go where five American captains have never dared to tread – by pairing Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson together.

For the opening fourballs of the 35th Ryder Cup tomorrow the two superstars of the match at Oakland Hills will launch America’s bid to win back the trophy.

And they will do so against Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie - Europe’s leading player in the current world rankings and Europe’s outstanding player of the last three matches.

“I don’t know how many people the first hole can hold, but we will find out,” said Sutton, who added that Harrington and Montgomerie were exactly the opponents he wanted to tee off proceedings.

In three Ryder Cups and three Presidents Cups Woods and Mickelson were kept apart throughout by Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw, Curtis Strange, Ken Venturi and Jack Nicklaus (twice).

But from the day he was appointed captain two years ago Sutton has had it in his mind to change that – especially with the United States having lost three of the last four Ryder Cups.

“We came here to win,” said Sutton. “I told these two guys that the perception is that the United States team don’t bond. I can’t think of a message we could send any louder.”

And they might be kept together for the afternoon foursomes, with Mickelson having been approached by Sutton and handed some of Woods’ balls to practice with.

Sutton is ready for criticism if the plan backfires, of course, but he also warns: “I don’t think anything would aggravate them more. There would be some Hell to pay.”

European captain Bernhard Langer commented: “It looks great on paper to me. A win would be fantastic and would really pump us up.”

The partnership is a bold attempt to get America off to a flying start and so is the way Mickelson has prepared for the match.

He did not practise on Wednesday and when he returned to action today it was on the adjoining North Course and not the South Course on which the match actually takes place.

Langer had heard rumours that Woods and Mickelson were to be united and declared himself happy with the line-up as well.

The German did make a late change down the order, thoug, with 2002 match-winner Paul McGinley being drafted in to partner Luke Donald instead of Paul Casey. He said it was because McGinley was playing “awesome”.

They will take on Stewart Cink and Chris Riley in the third game. Ahead of them will be Darren Clarke and Miguel Angel Jimenez against Davis Love and Chad Campbell and bringing up the rear are successful Belfry duo Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood, who face major winners Jim Furyk and David Toms.

Woods is out to improve an awful fourball record in Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup – played 12, won two, lost 10.

It has been widely assumed the two had not been partners because they did not get on particularly well.

“I don’t know how friendly they are and even if they are not they can just play their own ball, I suppose,” said Sutton.

“I am not concerned if they are bosom buddies, but they are friends - competitors and friends.”

The impression the two superstars did not get on was given further legs by the fact that Woods has played in the two-man World Cup three times as well, but never with Mickelson as his partner, and while both also represented America in the Dunhill Cup at St Andrews it was in different years.

“I’d love it,” said Mickelson last month. “I’ve been wanting to play with Tiger for a long time.

“Just about everybody on the team would love to be paired with him, but if that’s what Hal thinks is best for the team I’m all for it.”

Woods had echoed Mickelson’s view.

“I’d love to play with Phil,” he commented on Tuesday. “As talented as he is, I mean how could you not want to play?

“As far as the pros and cons, I think we kind of experienced a little bit of that in ’99 at Brookline. I was ranked number one and David Duval was ranked number two and he (Ben Crenshaw) put us out there and we got beat by, I think, Clarke and Westwood on the last hole.

“So that, obviously, has its pros and cons, throwing two top guys out there. If you lose, that’s kind of tough.

“Some of the positives, you’ve seen Watson and Nicklaus go at it and they have won matches. So too Nicklaus and Palmer. It can be perceived both ways, but I think if we win matches it will be perceived as a huge plus.”

Mickelson and Toms were the most successful United States duo two years ago, winning two and halving one of their four games.

They were broken up, however, after losing twice at the Presidents Cup in South Africa last November.

Mickelson was linked up instead with Chris DiMarco and Fred Funk, but was beaten twice more – and lost his singles to Retief Goosen as well.

Woods went through that week with Charles Howell as his partner, winning their foursomes, but losing both fourballs.

Casey and Donald were unbeaten partners at the 1999 Walker Cup and had practised together, but Langer felt the need to blood only one of them.

Donald is the only new cap in the side to see action straight away, with Ian Poulter, David Howell and Thomas Levet kept on the bench.

Sutton has already decided the four he has left out – 50-year-old Jay Haas and rookies Fred Funk, Kenny Perry and Chris DiMarco – will play in the afternoon foursomes, but Langer is making no promises.

Draw for the opening fourballs of the 35th Ryder Cup, United States v Europe, at Oakland Hills Country Club, Detroit, on Friday (all times Irish time):

1310 Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods v Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington

1325 Davis Love and Chad Campbell v Darren Clarke and Miguel Angel Jimenez

1340 Chris Riley and Stewart Cink v Paul McGinley and Luke Donald

1355 David Toms and Jim Furyk v Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood