STRAFFAN, Ireland, Sept 19 - The United States never recovered from Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton's decision to pair Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson at Oakland Hills two years ago, Europe's Colin Montgomerie said on Tuesday.

Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington defeated the Americans in the first match to set Europe on the way to a 6-1/2 to 1-1/2 first day aggregate, with Woods and Mickelson again losing in the afternoon to Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood.

Europe won 18-1/2 to 9-1/2 overall.

"When the other 10 members of the team saw Woods and Mickelson losing, that was more than one point. Padraig and I knew that," the eight-times European number one told a news conference.

"Because it was the first game as well, it meant ever so much more. Going out first and winning was massive.

"But I do believe that all the eggs were thrown into one basket with the Woods and Mickelson situation."

Montgomerie said Europe would be fielding 12 great players at this year's Ryder Cup starting at the K club on Friday which would take some of the pressure off his shoulders.

"We've got 12 great players and we can mix-and-match as well as I've ever known any team," he said. "You could draw us out of a bucket."

But his team made Luke Donald said Montgomerie remained the man the team looked up to.

"Any time he talks in the team room we listen intently. Without Monty on the team it would be a different European team," Donald said.