By Norman Dabell

STRAFFAN (Reuters) - There was no second-guessing by either Ryder Cup captain as Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk were paired for Friday morning's opening fourball match against Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington.

United States captain Tom Lehman called it meeting "strength with strength" after announcing his parings on Thursday.

"There's no surprise there," he told a news conference having reunited the two big names after they performed well together in the Presidents Cup. "I'm not surprised in the least who's playing that match.

"I pretty much expected that and they probably expected who we have out as well.

"I knew they would put a pretty strong team out and I know that Monty generally likes to go out first.

"There wasn't a certainty that Monty and Padraig would be in that first group but there was a likelihood."

Montgomerie and Harrington beat Woods and Phil Mickelson in the first match at Oakland Hills in 2004 and that set Europe up for a record nine-point success.

While Lehman recognised the significance of making that first point, he insisted he had not put that to Woods and Furyk, rather that he was choosing his strongest pairing to take on Europe's strongest.

"I said [to Woods and Furyk] it wasn't like we want you to go first because it's Harrington and Montgomerie, I said we want you to go first because I know they are going to put a very strong team first, so I want to meet strength with strength.

"The first point is a big point, so I think you want to lead with your best."

With Woods being knocked out in the first round of the World Match Play Championship last week, Lehman was asked if the world number one's putting might be suspect coming into the opening encounter.

"If I had to put my wife and kids' life on the line with somebody making a putt, I would pick him," Lehman replied.

The US captain has thrown two of his rookies straight into action, with new boy Brett Wetterich partnering David Toms against Spaniards Sergio Garcia and Jose Maria Olazabal and debutant J.J. Henry and Stewart Cink taking on Paul Casey and European rookie Robert Karlsson.

Lehman explained his thinking: "The course is playing very long and with the wind blowing the way it's been, length is a really big deal. Brett is playing extremely well, he hits a long way and he's very strong.

"He has a partner who is incredibly steady, someone he can really trust and count on, somebody who is able to calm somebody down.

"When we came here a month ago, JJ Henry and Stewart Cink played together. They just hit it off immediately. JJ lives in Texas and knows how to play the wind."

Lehman justified having Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco in the final pairing: "I think the first point is important. I think the last point is important. Mickelson and DiMarco going out last is a good place for them because they like that role," he said.

Like Woosnam, Lehman said he will give all his players at least one match before Sunday's singles.