All four, of course, went on to play their part in Europe’s Ryder Cup victory, but McIlroy and McDowell have also become US Open champions – and now stablemates as well.

Ireland’s last World Cup winners were Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley in 1997, but McDowell told the European Tour website: “I guess you could say I’ve got myself a decent partner. He’s in great form and the world number two.

“You have to be able to motivate and inspire each other and enjoy the experience of being in contention and under pressure, and hopefully enjoy the experience of winning together.

“There’s nothing quite like that team atmosphere in golf. It’s a very individual sport and very few times do we get the opportunity to play as a team.

“Winning individually is nice, but winning as a team is something extra special. Hopefully we can use our experiences of the last couple of years to good effect.”

McIlroy, playing in China for the fourth time in under two months, gives McDowell some of the credit for his superstar status.

“Watching everything Graeme did last year definitely did something to me mentally,” the 22-year-old said. “It gave me that little bit of extra belief, seeing someone that you’re so close to produce that type of golf.

“It’s been a great couple of years to get my first win in the States and then back that up with my first major. There have been very low lows and very high highs.

“We came very close a couple of years ago and it would be great to get ourselves into the position again with a chance to win.

“There are quite wide fairways, big bunkers and undulating greens. I think the key to this golf course is all about the second shots.

“Most of the teams are going to find it relatively simple to hit it into the fairway and from there the course gets a lot more challenging.

“If you don’t get the ball on the right level on the greens it’s going to be very difficult. Maybe the scoring at this course might not be as low as it was in Shenzhen.”

The event – now biennial after being staged every year from 1987 to 2009 - features 28 teams, with fourballs on the first and third days and foursomes for the second and fourth rounds.

South Africa also have a pair of major winners in Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen, while England are represented by Justin Rose and Ian Poulter, Scotland by Martin Laird and Stephen Gallacher and Wales by Rhys Davies and Jamie Donaldson.

Rose and Poulter were partners in 2007 and find themselves back together with both world number one Luke Donald and number three Lee Westwood turning the event down.

Westwood has never played in it, but Donald was with Paul Casey when England last won seven years ago.

Laird, Scotland’s only player in the world’s top 100, makes his debut and is back in action after a seven-week lay-off.

He and Gallacher, whose last appearance was in 2005, are hoping to emulate the success of Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren four years ago.

Davies is another debutant, while Donaldson played with Stephen Dodd last time.

The United States have Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland both making their debuts and there are three teams of brothers – the Molinaris, Colombians Camilo and Manuel Villegas and Portuguese Ricardo and Hugo Santos.