Great Britain and Ireland lead Vivendi Trophy

Irish pair Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy helped Great Britain and Ireland to a 3-2 lead over Continental Europe by beating Dane Soren Kjeldsen and Spaniard Alvaro Quiros 4&3 after the opening fourballs of the Vivendi Trophy in Paris today.

Chris Wood and Anthony Wall marked their debuts for Paul McGinley's side in record-equalling fashion.

Their 6&5 thrashing of Ryder Cup pair Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson matched the biggest margin of victory in any session of the Vivendi Trophy since it started in 2000.

In Karlsson's defence, of course, this was his first competitive action since May because of a blister behind his left retina.

But Continental captain Thomas Bjorn must have been hoping for more from his top-ranked player Stenson against a duo who would not have been in the match but for the withdrawal of some star men.

Britain and Ireland's other point came from Oliver Wilson and Simon Dyson.

With Dyson fit again after suffering food poisoning in the build-up, they defeated Soren Hansen and Peter Hanson 3&2 - an exact repeat of the result when they clashed in foursomes in Ireland two years ago.

However, Continental Europe kept the gap down to only one point thanks to Anders Hansen and Francesco Molinari and then Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

Hansen, who had a superb seven birdies in the first 12 holes, and Molinari beat Robert Rock and Steve Webster 4&3.

Fernandez-Castano and Jimenez - the only player to be an ever-present since the series started in 2000 - came from two down to beat Ross Fisher and Nick Dougherty 2&1.

Bjorn's men were made favourites given that they had lost only Sergio Garcia and the injured Martin Kaymer from their strongest possible line-up.

Britain and Ireland were without six players in all - Paul Casey, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Luke Donald and Justin Rose - but they have won the last four matches.

Wood said: "I wanted to play Stenson at some point. At the start of the week I was on the range and he was giving me a bit of stick and chucking balls at me."

He and Wall turned in a six-under 30 and were nine-under for the 13 holes played.

Wall commented: "I think I raise my game against really top players. You have something to prove - they are the benchmark.

"They are the favourites and the better team, but we are going to fight all the way. And I don't think Robert was 100% - you've got to feel for him because he's an awesome player.

"I hope he's getting better because Europe need him and the European Tour needs him."

McDowell and McIlroy, the only non-Englishmen in their side, were ahead from the moment the former sank a 25-footer on the first.

They were lucky not to go back on terms at the third, though, as McIlroy's chip was going a long way past until it hit Kjeldsen's ball a few feet past the flag.

"I was amazed he didn't mark it," said the 20-year-old, and his partner agreed it was a key point. By the eighth they were three up and McIlroy's birdie on the 11th stretched the gap to four.

"I hope it's the start of a long partnership," he added.

"As long as we stay fit there's no reason why we can't have a partnership for the next 10 years."

Both would love to be together again at next October's Ryder Cup, with McDowell stating: "Obviously we're great friends, but this is a chance to show we can gel on the course.

"There's nothing I would like better than to play with him in the Ryder Cup."