Published Tuesday, 28 September 2010
It will come as no surprise that the Ulster duo of Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy were partners and so were Italians Edoardo and Francesco Molinari, the first brothers to play in the match since 1963.
Both pairs played together and against each other at the World Cup of Golf in China, with the Italians coming out on top.
Behind them Lee Westwood, returning from seven weeks off with a torn calf muscle, was with US PGA champion Martin Kaymer - the two highest ranked players in the European line-up.
Kaymer had expressed an interest in playing with McIlroy, but it is thought that Westwood's steadiness and Kaymer's controlled aggression could be a lethal pairing.
They were joined by Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez and Swede Peter Hanson, who might well sit out the opening fourballs on Friday and then come in for the afternoon foursomes as Montgomerie plans to get all 12 of his team into action as quickly as he can.
Hanson pulled out of last weeks Vivendi Cup with an illness and his lack of experience could see him pair up with the veteran Spaniard.
The last group comprised Luke Donald, Ross Fisher, Pádraig Harrington and Ian Poulter.
They are probably causing the European captain most cause for thought in terms of how to pair them up and who might be benched for one of the sessions.
Poulter and Fisher finished fourth in the World Cup last November, while Donald narrowiy missed out on the Tour Championship title on Sunday, by a single shot.
Wild card choice Harrington showed a return to form on the same day with a 64 in Paris.
As for the Americans, Tiger Woods was in the same group as Steve Stricker, with whom he won all four games in last year's Presidents Cup.
But, officially at least, Woods was paired with Hunter Mahan and Stricker with Zach Johnson.
Behind them it was Matt Kuchar with Stewart Cink and Jim Furyk - the new £7million man after edging out Donald on Sunday and in the process the FedEx Cup - with Jeff Overton.
And in the last group Phil Mickelson was with Rickie Fowler and frighteningly for Europe the long hitting Dustin Johnson alongside the even longer hitting Bubba Watson.
That appeared to be the experienced Mickelson, who this week equals the American record by making his eighth appearance, showing three newcomers the ropes.
There was some rain to contend with and some of the hills nearby were shrouded in fog, but the 24 players were able to get on the course on schedule.