Rory McIlroy on the anchor leg with Sergio Garcia

Fate, demonstrating a sense of timing of which the protagonists in the 40th Ryder Cup would approve, demanded that Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson would swop the banter of the sidelines to ascertain who will be more eloquent inside the ropes tomorrow morning at Gleneagles.

McIlroy will be partnered by Spain's Sergio Garcia in the bottom match of the morning's fourballs where they'll oppose Mickelson and his aide-de-camp Keegan Bradley. It's game over which many would salivate without the added spice provided by yesterday's verbal jousting.

McIlroy and Garcia have never played together but there’s no doubting the chemistry between the two and their cavalier styles are sure to captivate the home crowd. Their opponents were the outstanding American pairing two years ago at Medinah, winning all three matches together before being stood down by the then USA captain Davis Love on the Saturday afternoon.

That sequence included a victory over McIlroy, partnered then by Graeme McDowell. The winner of this match will strike a huge psychological blow for their side.

The Spanish/Northern Irish axis was understandably chipper. Garcia admitted:” I couldn’t ask for a better partner.

"Yeah, anyone in the team is great, but obviously. It's going to be a great match. It's going to be a great experience. Obviously I've been fortunate to have great partners in The Ryder Cup, and this is no different. Keegan and Phil played really well at Medinah a couple years ago. We know how to play and take a point away; I think would be very important."

His playing partner was equally upbeat: “Sergio is one of my closest friends on Tour and we always got a long well. I think that it was only a matter of time before we got together in Ryder Cup and played, and what a great way to start obviously against Phil and Keegan.

“So it’s an exciting match. I again couldn’t ask for a better partner. He’s playing fantastically well. I know that I can rely on him and he’s such a solid player; just excited for tomorrow morning.

“They are obviously a very strong pairing and have never been beaten before together. We’re looking to hand them their first defeat tomorrow morning. So it will be a tough match, both great competitors. Obviously we know how pumped up Keegan gets for The Ryder Cup from last time.

“At the same time, we just have got to control what we can, go out there, play, put two balls in play, give ourselves two looks at every chance and if we can do that, put the pressure on them early, get the crowd behind us, that’s what we need to do.”

The American duo was equally upbeat. Mickelson enthused: “It’s going to be a difficult match against what we perceive as the strongest team that Europe has and I know what a great player Rory McIlroy is and I’ve played with Sergio for a number of years and know what a great player he is.

“We have our work cut out for us, but we’re on top of our games as well, and hopefully we’ll have a good match.”

Bradley was relishing the contest too. He admitted: “Yeah, Rory and Sergio is a really strong team. They are all strong here at the Ryder Cup, but Rory, the number one player in the world . . . and Sergio is an unbelievable Ryder Cup player. It’s going to be a fun week.”

European captain, Ireland's Paul McGinley, caused one or two raised eyebrows with his other fourball pairings, none of whom have played together before. Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson will lead the European team from the top match where they'll face the formidable duo, Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson, a tried, tested and successful Ryder Cup pairing.

Watson laughed: “First of all, I had to explain to Webb that we were playing at 7.35, so he was like, whoa, whoa, that’s a little early for me, buddy. We’ll have a couple of coffees and we’ll be ready to go.”

Temperamentally, Rose and Stenson would appear a good match.

The 'old man' of the European team Thomas Bjorn will play alongside Germany's Martin Kaymer against Rickie Fowler and Ryder Cup debutant Jimmy Walker.

Scotland's Stephen Gallacher will get to make his bow in match three, along with the totemic figure of England's Ian Poulter, who'll be the only player in the match with previous Ryder Cup experience as American captain Tom Watson has gone for rookies Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.

Poulter was typically enthusiastic: “I’m absolutely buzzing, playing with Stevie G, home course, in Scotland, first Ryder Cup. It’s going to be amazing. So playing against two good rookies, two great players, and I can’t wait now to walk through that tunnel.

“The last picture we are going to see is Seve as we walk out the other end, walk on the tee to a loud, rapturous applause, and I can’t wait to smash it down the middle.”

Gallacher was a little more understated in his observations. “Yeah, for my first Ryder Cup, having it in Scotland, couldn’t have done better than to play with Poults. (He’s the) epitome of The Ryder Cup, the passion, everything it involves and he’s been there and knows what to do. He will be a calming influence, as well. We are similar players, so just going to go out there, enjoy it and hopefully lots of birdies.”

Ryder Cup pairings for Friday morning fourballs (Europe v USA)

Justin Rose / Henrik Stenson v Bubba Watson / Webb Simpson (7.35am)

Thomas Bjorn / Martin Kaymer v Rickie Fowler / Jimmy Walker (7.50am)

Stephen Gallacher / Ian Poulter v Jordan Spieth / Patrick Reed (8.05am)

Sergio Garcia / Rory McIlroy v Keegan Bradley / Phil Mickelson (8.20am)