Ryder Cup: No Shane Lowry on first morning as Europe kick off with Spanish duo in opening match

In the first match in Friday fourballs Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, the USA’s most successful pair in Paris three years ago bid to get the hosts off to a flier

Team USA captain Steve Stricker shakes hands with Team Europe captain Padraig Harrington during the opening ceremony for the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. Picture: AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

Europe face a massive task against a powerful US squad at Whistling Straits but Pádraig Harrington is banking on the new Spanish Armada of Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm to give Europe a winning start in the foursomes.

The Dubliner has called on world No 1 Rahm and Europe’s record points scorer Garcia to take down the high-powered duo of pals Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth in the top match as they look to follow in the footsteps of Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal as an iconic European pairing.

“When you're born in Spain, the Ryder Cup is something special,” Rahm said in the build-up. “There’s a lot of legacy in this event between Seve (Ballesteros) and Ollie (Jose Maria Olazabal) and the players got the most amount of Ryder Cup points for Team Europe in history.

“It's a lot to live up to, I'm not going to lie. It's a lot of expectation when you're a Spaniard.” The experienced Paul Casey, who has won one and lost one of his two previous foursomes matches, will partnerNorwegian rookie Viktor Hovland against world No 2 Dustin Johnson and the Californian rookie Collin Morikawa, the reigning Open champion.

But there will be huge pressure for Europe in the third match with the vastly experience Lee Westwood, now 48 and playing in his 11th match, paired with Matt Fitzpatrick against Floridian duo of Brooks Koepka and fiery rookie Daniel Berger.

Shane Lowry will sit out the opening session with Harrington opting for experience in the anchor match by sending out four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy with talisman Ian Poulter against the in-form FedExCup winner and PGA Tour Player of the Year Patrick Cantlay and his close friend Xander Schauffele in an effort to continue Europe’s historically strong form in the foursomes.

Darren Clarke’s Europe famously lost the opening foursomes session 4-0 at Hazeltine in 2016 and Harrington will be determined to come out with least a 2-2 result from the session as Europe bids to win for only the fifth time away from home.

The top match is absolutely crucial and Rahm and Garcia are a pair that will make few mistakes as they bid to put pressure on the often wayward Spieth and his boyhood pal Thomas.

Rahm did not play a foursomes match on his debut in Paris but Garcia has won 10, halved three and lost just four of his 17 foursomes since he teamed up with Jesper Parnevik to beat Tom Lehman and Tiger Woods on his debut at Brookline in 1999.

As for McIlroy and Poulter, they famously won a crucial fourball point at Medinah on Saturday afternoon in 2012 before teaming up in foursomes Paris three years ago to beat Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson 4&2.

Friday fourballs (all times Irish, Team Europe pairs first).

Match 1: 1.05pm Jon Rahm & Sergio Garcia vs Justin Thomas & Jordan Spieth.

Match 2: 1.21pm: Paul Casey & Viktor Hovland v Dustin Johnson & Collin Morikawa.

Match 3: 1.37pm: Lee Westwood & Matt Fitzpatrick v Brooks Koepka & Daniel Berger.

Match 4: 1.53pm: Rory McIlroy & Ian Poulter v Patrick Cantlay & Xander Schauffele.