Pairings set for first session

— -- GLENEAGLES, Scotland -- The Ryder Cup will not be lacking for drama when the event begins Friday morning at Gleneagles.

Seven major champions are among the players in the opening four-ball session that will start with Masters champion Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson taking on Europe's Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson.

"We love leading off," Simpson said. "We love getting off to a quick start, and it should be a good pairing for us against Rose and Stenson. They're obviously great players. We have to go out and take care of business early."

The session will conclude with a blockbuster match involving the heart of the U.S. team, Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley, going up against world No. 1 Rory McIlroy and longtime U.S. Ryder Cup thorn Sergio Garcia.

"You have to like all the contests, but that last contest is a striking contest," U.S. captain Tom Watson said. "It's kind of the main event in the first round, you'd have to say. You all know that. It's not rocket science here. That's what we're going to be looking at. We'll be looking at the first three matches and then we'll be saying, 'Oh yeah, here's Phil and Keegan versus Rory and Sergio.'

"But every match is important. Look at the Ryder Cup. It's been separated by a single point how many years? Every point is so important."

The U.S. has lost each of the past two Ryder Cups by the score of 14½-13½. Europe needs 14 points to retain the Cup, while the Americans will need 14½ to win for the first time since 2008 and just the second time since 1999.

"We saw in 2012 that obviously a hot start is not the key; it's about finishing," said Watson, recalling the U.S. blowing a 10-6 lead after two days. "Obviously, a hot start is better than not having a hot start. It's better for morale and better for everything like that."

Watson is playing all three of his rookies in the morning session, while European captain Paul McGinley is going with just one.

The first match begins at 7:35 a.m. local time, followed by Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker against Thomas Bjorn and U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer.

The third match pits U.S. rookies Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed against Europe's toughest player, Ian Poulter, and the only player from Scotland, Stephen Gallacher. The U.S. will be huge underdogs in that match.

Then comes the Mickelson/Bradley-McIlroy/Garcia match.

Watson suggested that those sitting out -- Hunter Mahan, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Jim Furyk -- would participate in the afternoon foursomes (alternate shot) session. Sitting out for Europe in the early session will be Graeme McDowell, Victor Dubuisson, Lee Westwood and Jamie Donaldson.

"It's going to be a difficult match against what we perceive as the strongest team Europe has," said Mickelson, who is making his 10th Ryder Cup appearance. "I know what a great player Rory 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."

The forecast calls for cool temperatures Friday morning with the daytime high topping out at 60 degrees, but blustery winds of 25 mph are expected.