Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell to take on Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley in fourballs

The pairings for the fourballs session on day one of the Ryder Cup have been announced, with a heavyweight tussle between the US team of Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley and Europe's Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell.

Many believed that this would be the grouping for this morning's foursomes matches, but fate paired them for the afternoon session in Chicago.

A fresh group face off against each other in the first match, which sees this year's Masters and US Open champions, Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson, form a partnership to take on Paul Lawrie and Peter Hanson.

Elsewhere, Nicolas Colsaerts will get his first taste of Ryder Cup action when he partners Lee Westwood to take on Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker, while Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar do battle with Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer.

All 24 players from both sides will have featured by the end of play.

Matches in full:

Watson/Simpson vs. Lawrie/Hanson

Mickelson/Bradley vs. McIlroy/McDowell

D Johnson/Kuchar vs. Rose/Kaymer

Woods/Stricker vs. Westwood/Colsaerts