European Team captain, Jose Maria Olazabal has confused observers with his expected pairings for Friday’s opening Foursomes.

Olazabal and USA rival Davis Love 111 will announce the opening pairings during the Opening Ceremony later today.

While everyone expected to again see the U.S. Open winning duo of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell out during Thursday’s final official practice it was a surprise when McIlroy teed off in the company of Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer.

McDowell then went out joining Ian Poulter, Luke Donald and Francesco Molinari, while the opening practice fourball was Lee Westwood, Paul Lawrie, Peter Hanson and Belgian newcomer Nicolas Colsaerts.

Olazabal will be fully aware of the bonding between the two ‘Mc’s’ but then Donald and Garcia are unbeaten in six games together in Foursomes.

Rose and Poulter, who teamed at Valhalla in 2008 to capture two of their three games, were partners in practice for the first two days at Medinah.

If those three are fixed in Olazabal’s head then the biggest decision he has to take for the start of the match is who to put with Westwood, unbeaten in his last 10 foursomes going back to 1999.

In that time Westwood has partnered Darren Clarke, Garcia, Colin Montgomerie, Kaymer and Donald.

Of the remaining players Scot Paul Lawrie has the experience of playing an away match, but that was in 1999, while Hanson and Kaymer made their debuts last time. As the debutant big-hitting Colsaerts is expected to be given the chance to soak up the atmosphere in the foursomes before being introduced for the afternoon fourballs.