Four successive birdies by the Europe's Ryder Cup vanguard - Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington - put them two up after four holes against the USA's dynamic duo (Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson) as the Ryder Cup got under way at Oakland Hills.
It was a nervy start for all the players in the first day fourballs with the Europeans both finding sand off the tee, alongside Woods - and Mickelson tugging his opening drive into the trees.
But Monty clipped his approach to 15 feet and holed the putt to take the lead. He and Woods shared the par-5 second in birdie fours before Harrington speared a 5-iron to four feet to go two up after three.
Monty then tied the fourth with Woods in birdie threes - thanks to a downhill 25-footer.
Behind them Darren Clarke and Miguel Angel Jimenez were one up after two against Davis Love and Chad Campbell (thanks to a Clarke birdie) while Garcia holed from 20 feet to take an early lead (with Lee Westwood) against Furyk and Toms.
In the third match Paul McGinley settled his nervous partner Luke Donald with a tidy par at the first. The match was all square after two holes.
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