European Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam wants Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington to send out a powerful message in Friday's opening fourballs against world number one Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk.
'I expected Tiger and Jim to be off first, he (US skipper Tom Lehman) has put his best pairing out first,' Woosnam told reporters at the K Club.
'There's been a lot of talk about Tiger and Jim. It is a strong partnership and it will be a huge boost for the rest of the team if we can beat them.'
Woosnam is confident Montgomerie and Harrington are up to the task.
'Monty's a fantastic competitor with a fantastic Ryder Cup record and Padraig also has a fantastic record,' said the Welshman.
'If we are going to have to play Tiger and Jim first, let's have lots of experience out there.
'Monty always seems to raise his game for these matches, when he gets on the first tee he becomes a different person. He has been an incredible ambassador over the years.'
