The draw for the opening two rounds of this week’s $US 9m WGC – Bridgestone Invitational is a real Europe versus USA match-up on the Firestone Country Club course.

Of the 38 two-ball matches 17 feature a European-born player paired with an American.

Three-time Major winner Rory McIlroy has been paired with American Matt Kuchar with Northern Irishman and the American teeing off on day one at 10.40am local time Thursday.

Triple Major winner Rory McIlroy sporting a short-back-and-sides haircut in his first event since his Open Championship victory. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)

Spain’s Sergio Garcia, who was joint runner-up behind McIlroy last fortnight at Royal Liverpool, is out in the group immediately ahead of McIlroy and partnered with 2013 Open Champion, Phil Mickelson.

Eight-time Firestone champion Tiger Woods finds himself out at 2.20pm in the company of fellow and recent US Open winner, Martin Kaymer.

England’s and 2013 US Open winner Justin Rose will tee off at 2pm with American Rickie Fowler as his partner for the first two days.

And in a potential Gleneagles Ryder Cup encounter Frenchman Victor Dubuisson will be joined by American Jordan Spieth teeing off at 10.10am local time.

Reigning French Open winner Graeme McDowell will play alongside American Hunter.

Other Europe versus USA pairings include:-

Lee Westwood (England) and Jimmy Walker, Luke Donald (England) and Webb Simpson, David Howell (England) and Brian Harman, Ian Poulter (England) and Zach Johnson, Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) and Steve Stricker, Mikko Illonen (Finland) and Brendon Todd, Jonas Blixt (Sweden) and Russell Henley, Stephen Gallacher (Scotland) and Ben Crane.