Jim Furyk has plenty to live up to. Furyk's predecessor as the American team's Ryder Cup captain, Davis Love III, got his opening pairings spot at Hazeltine two years ago as the USA beat Europe 4-0 in the opening session before going on to secure a comprehensive 17-11 victory.
Furyk will hope to achieve something similar when he announces his Friday morning fourballs at Thursday afternoon's opening ceremony. All eyes will be on who Tiger Woods is paired with at Le Golf National in France and we pick out our American fourballs partnerships for Friday...
Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka
Good mates, big-hitters and at the top of their games. The world number one, Dustin Johnson, should be paired with Brooks Koepka, the man who has won three of the last six major tournaments he has played. Johnson still has a bit to prove in Ryder Cup golf as his win-loss-halved record currently stands at 6-5-0, although he is still 9/1 favourite to be top points scorer, according to the latest Ryder Cup Odds.
Johnson couldn't ask for a much better partner as Koepka was a revelation as a rookie at Hazeltine in 2016, winning three points from his four matches.
Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth
Patrick Reed, aka 'Captain America', and Jordan Spieth are proven performers together in the Ryder Cup sphere. Spieth has won three of the four majors during his career so far, despite a below-par 2018 campaign, and the 25-year-old will relish the chance to team up with Reed, who won his maiden major title at the Masters earlier this year.
Reed and Spieth have played seven Ryder Cup matches together, in 2014 and 2016, and their record together reads: 4-1-2.
Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas
Rickie Fowler took his sweet time to find his feet in the Ryder Cup. He failed to win a single match in 2010 (0-1-2) and 2014 (0-2-3) before he finally got off the mark with a return of 2-1-0 in 2016.
Fowler remains an ultra-consistent force on the PGA Tour, even if that first major wins remains elusive, and should partner up with his good friend Justin Thomas, the Ryder Cup rookie who has won seven tournaments - including the 2017 US PGA Championship - since the start of last year.
Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau
Finally, the big one. There has been much talk of Tiger Woods partnering Phil Mickelson for the first time since 2004 as they have developed something close to a 'bromance' after enduring a frosty relationship during the earlier part of their career.
Woods, 42, is full of confidence as the 14-time major winner finally secured another PGA Tour victory at the Tour Championship on Sunday and he will be hoping to enhance a poor Ryder Cup record that has seen him take just 14.5 points from 33 matches.
Woods seems likely to partner the in-form Bryson DeChambeau, who made sure of a wildcard pick with two wins during the FedEx Cup play-offs, and the two get on well having played numerous practice rounds together this year.
