The claiming of a lead by the European team by the close of the first day of this, the 40th Ryder Cup, was not terribly tricky to predict before a Gleneagles ball was struck. Nor was the appearance of slow greens, clawing rough, wonderful galleries and Michael Jordan, cigar et al. Bubba Watson reverted to unfortunate type by stirring up an unseemly racket as he hit his opening tee shot.

There is, however, already an element of clear surprise; from their combined three Friday matches, Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter returned just half a point. It was left to others, namely Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, to lead the European cavalry charge. McIlroy and Poulter will be in each other’s company for Saturday morning’s fourballs, with Team Rose and Stenson understandably retained.

The men with metaphoric targets on their backs looked to have been hauled from the premises and shot at dawn before a stirring foursomes comeback from McIlroy and Sergio García. From two down with two to play, the European players earned a halve which was significant in its own right. It ensured the US did not win a single second-session match. Momentum, that vital Ryder Cup commodity, is firmly in the European corner.

Tom Watson introduced the notion of redemption into this event, with the visiting team looking to atone for such a spectacular capitulation at Medinah two years ago. It was Europe who provided Redemption Afternoon on day one, with a fine response from 2½ to 1½ behind. As darkness fell on Perthshire, the hosts led 5-3.

Whereas Paul McGinley had done little to mask his unease at a “disappointing” fourball session, the Irishman celebrated as McIlroy holed out brilliantly from 25 feet on the 17th.

Better was to come from García, who whipped a glorious fairway wood on to the last green from rough, to trigger a match-saving birdie. McGinley is entitled to class this as a mini-triumph. Logic suggests, after all, that Europe’s two marquee players will offer more tangible reward at some stage over the next 48 hours.

That McGinley’s remaining players find themselves ahead despite a bullish US performance is worthy of credit in itself. Still, McGinley has plenty to ponder. The pairing of Poulter with Stephen Gallacher for the first session of fourballs failed spectacularly as Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, the youngest pairing in Ryder Cup history, swaggered to a 5&4 victory.

Neither Poulter nor Gallacher reappeared after lunch.

Gallacher looked to wilt under the weight of home pressure, just 35 miles from his home, but he was not helped by Poulter. The Englishman failed to record a single birdie and produced arguably the worst shot of day one when knifing a fairway wood into water on the 9th. Poulter is, nonetheless, worthy of praise for admitting his shortcomings. History also suggests he can respond, given his first-day Ryder Cup defeats in 2004, 2008 and 2010.

It was difficult not to feel sympathy for Gallacher, the debutant who would have envisaged an altogether different scenario when dreaming of his Ryder Cup bow. McIlroy and García had already lost to Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley by the time they found themselves struggling against Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler.

For 34 holes, there was a lack of European spark in this pairing, with McIlroy again showing signs of the mental fatigue associated with a hectic – and successful – summer. A key aspect of McIlroy’s brilliance is his fortitude. For that reason, the late rally should perhaps have been envisaged.

For Walker and Fowler, who had a putt to win the foursomes match on the 16th, this was a sharp blow. McGinley had obvious success elsewhere. Victor Dubuisson relished his first Ryder Cup appearance, the Frenchman partnering Graeme McDowell to an impressive win over the formidable Mickelson and Bradley. There was clear and successful chemistry between Jamie Donaldson and Lee Westwood as they saw off Matt Kuchar and Jim Furyk. Rose and Stenson swatted Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson aside before returning for more; Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson were their afternoon victims. Proof, therefore, that being next-door Florida neighbours can have benefits for Europe.

The pairing of Reed and Spieth proved a morning Watson masterstroke. The rookies routed a Ryder Cup icon and course specialist, with the US captain’s decision to rest the young guns thereafter raising more than a few eyebrows. Including, it transpired, from Reed and Spieth themselves. They will be back together morning against Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer but needless damage may have already been done to the USA setup.

“I thought at the time it was the best decision not to play them,” Watson explained. “There were a variety of reasons, but I won’t go into those. When I told Patrick that he wasn’t going to play in the afternoon, it was comical at the time, not so comical now maybe. I said: ‘How does that make you feel?’ He said: ‘Well, I’m all right with it.’ He then said: ‘Well, really, captain, I’m not all right with it.’ I said: ‘That’s the way I want you to be.’”

In glorious sunshine but a biting wind, Reed watched on as his compatriots wilted in the alternate shot format. Ominously for Watson and his team, there is probably better to come from the opposition.