Dan O'Neill

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - One is "Lefty," one is a righty.

One is an established star, with 34 PGA Tour victories and three major championships. One is an up-and-coming star, with two PGA Tour wins this season and an unlimited future.

One is a veteran of Ryder Cup competitions, with a number of skeletons in his closet, including seven losses in eight matches over the last two tournaments. One is new to this international competition, unspoiled and unpretentious. One asked to play with the other, and vice versa.

And the reason U.S. captain Paul Azinger put one and one together, the reason Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim made a dynamic impact on Day 1 at Valhalla Golf Club, is they have one thing in common. They both got game.

“I think we're going to be pretty tough to beat,” said Kim, 23. “We are having a great time out there and when you're having a great time, you're going to play great golf.”

You might add that when you're playing great golf, you can overcome the red-hot putter of three-time major winner Padraig Harrington. When you're playing great golf, you can come from three holes down twice in one day without losing. When you're playing great golf, you can make nine birdies in one afternoon.

When you're playing great golf you can set a tone for your American teammates and help them establish a lead the likes of which they have not enjoyed since 1995. In other words, you can turn the whole statement around. When you're playing great golf, you're having a great time.

“We had a lot of fun today,” Mickelson said. “I love playing with this guy. He has a lot of talent, a lot of game. It was fun for me to get that youthful exuberance today. It's infectious.”

The tandem of Mickelson and Kim wasn't the most effective team the U.S. trotted out on Friday. That designation would go to Justin Leonard and Hunter Mahan, who led their European counterparts in 26 of the 31 holes they played and won both their foursome and four-ball matches.

But the pairing of Mickelson and Kim brought out the best in each other and, in many ways, was the heart and soul of America's rousing 5½-2½ first-day success. For starters, Mickelson and Kim neutralized one of Europe biggest weapons — Harrington — who was making putts like Martha White makes bread.

Thanks largely to the Irishman's fabulous flat stick, the American leadoff batters trailed Robert Karlsson and Harrington by three holes with six to play. But with both Mickelson and Kim hitting key shots — especially Mickelson — they rallied to halve the match.

“He held me up today when I wasn't playing so well,” said Kim, who showed some newbie nerves in the morning match.

His feet wet, Kim held his own in the afternoon when the twosome fell behind the Euro pair of Harrington and Graeme McDowell. Again playing in the first match, again trailing by three after just four holes, Li'l Kim and “Mick the Stick” found harmony and found birdies galore during the best-ball competition.

When Mickelson drained a 32-foot putt on No. 17, they took a 1-up lead, took it to the house and took half of Kentucky on a joy ride.

“I was jacked up to see his ball go in,” Kim said. “It's something we don't get to do very often, play for a team and pull for each other.”

This is a familiar competition but a new feeling for Mickelson. He has been a popular whipping boy for disgruntled American fans in the past, a past that includes five losses in the last six outings. Despite his career numbers, Mickelson came to Valhalla with a subpar 9-12-4 record in Ryder Cup play.

2008 Ryder Cup At Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. Final leaderboard  |    Slide show Final day: U.S. takes back the Ryder Cup Opinion: No substitute for inexperience   Video: Americans' winning moment Opinion: Azinger gave heart, soul  |    Video New breed carries Americans  |    Video: Boo! Kim concedes nothing to Garcia  |    Video Notebook: Perry finds his defining moment Video: Highlights and memorable moments VOTE: Who played biggest role in win?

He has at times seemed indifferent to it all. But on Friday, he was all smiles, high-fives, fist-pumps and hugs with his favorite new partner. Even European captain Nick Faldo, who is used to watching the two play as a television commentator, saw the intangible magic.

“They clicked,” Faldo said. “Anthony is a young, enthusiastic, fine, fine player. We've seen the way he's played (on the PGA Tour) this year and under Phil's wing, that's a very good partnership. They're a very good partnership. They're a strong pair.”

And guess what, they're not going anywhere. The terrific tandem of Mickelson and Kim will be back in the saddle Saturday morning, when they face Henrik Stenson and Oliver Wilson in the third of the morning foursome matches. Azinger is going to ride that horse as far as it takes him.

Slide show   Clash of continents Images from the Ryder Cup between the U.S. and European teams. more photos

“Obviously, to be down by three in two matches and get a point-and a-half, they played their hearts out,” Azinger said.

The Americans are hoping, with Mickelson and Kim, that beat goes on.

“It was a hard, fun day,” Mickelson said. “I think being down in both matches, we played with a lot of heart and emotion today, to be able to pull the halve and win out. It's been a fun day, but we have a lot of work to do.”

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