Captains Darren Clarke and Jeev Milkha Singh are looking forward to the opening day of the EURASIA CUP presented by DRB-HICOM after the draw produced some intriguing fourball matches.
Clarke has selected Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poulter and Austria's Bernd Wiesberger to open proceedings for Europe against Asia's Anirban Lahiri and Jeung Hun Wang in the first of Friday's matches at 8.35am.
Singh will be hoping home advantage gives Malaysian duo Danny Chia and Nicholas Fung the edge when they take on Victor Dubuisson and Søren Kjeldsen in the third match.
Elsewhere Danny Willett and Matt Fitzpatrick come up against Byeong-hun An and Thongchai Jaidee, Ross Fisher and Kristoffer Broberg face Prayad Marksaeng and K.T Kim, Shane Lowry and Andy Sullivan take on Wu Ashun and Japan’s Shingo Katayama, while Lee Westwood and Chris Wood will meet Kiradech Aphibarnrat and SSP Chawrasia in the sixth and final match of the morning.
Clarke is pleased with the strength of his pairings. He said: "Obviously we all know Poults. We know what he brings to the team. We know what he brings to the team room. And to have him leading off Europe, we couldn't ask for a better player.
"With Bernd, you've got a very, very young, exciting talent, who won The French Open last year, on one of our most difficult golf courses and won comfortably; that is a very strong pairing. I could say the same about everyone.
"You go down to Danny and Fitz, two young guys - everybody has been playing wonderful in practice. Victor and Søren, Ross and Chris, and finishing off with Lee and Woody - that's a very strong pairing as well.
"There isn't one pairing there that stands out to be stronger than anything else - Darren Clarke
"The team have been, as I said, wonderful to work with this week. It's been a pleasure for me to try and figure a few things out.
"I have had a few ideas and so far they are listening to me. I feel very fortunate and humble that I am their captain this week."
Singh, meanwhile, is full of confidence. He said: "I am really excited about this. In fact, both the teams are very strong, like I mentioned earlier.
"Both the sides are really experienced. But I still feel my team looks very good. I'm positive, I'm excited, and I believe in my team that they are going to do really well.
“I think my players are going to live up to the pressure.
“They are here for a reason. They have earned this. They are good enough to play on the world stage.
“So I feel that they have got to enjoy this, and they have got to make the most out of it.”
