MEDINAH, Ill. — Any notion the Ryder Cup is some friendly contest, a better version of a country club scramble, ended when Jose Maria Olazabal announced his first two pairings.

Rory McIlroy, the world’s No. 1 player, and Graeme McDowell, who delivered the winning point at Celtic Manor two years ago, will start Europe off Friday morning at Medinah. Then comes Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia, neither of whom has ever lost a foursomes match.

Win those two matches, and the Americans might never recover.

“We’re trying to win points. Period. That’s it,” Olazabal said Thursday afternoon. “We have to go for it. We are playing away. The crowds are going to be on their side. They set up the course to their liking. So you have to make a bunch of birdies out there to win points. Just send the best players out there.”

Fourballs will be played in the afternoon.

Ryder Cups are all about momentum, and the Europeans have had most of it for the last 15 years. They’ve won four of the last five meetings, and six of the last eight.

On paper, the Americans and Europeans are just about equal, two of the strongest teams in the event’s 85-year history. All 24 players are among the top 35 in the world ranking, the first time that’s happened. All 12 Americans were in the 30-man field at last week’s Tour Championship, joined by five of the seven Europeans who were eligible. Europe has four major champions, and four players who have been No. 1 in the world.

But the Americans have the fans on their side.