World Cup preview: Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley looked at each other with all of the befuddlement of rabbits caught simultaneously in the glare of a car's headlights.

They'd just been told that in-form Englishman David Howell's impressions of the Victoria Course at Vilamoura - where the World Cup gets under way today - were such that it was "very pleasant, not overly difficult . . . it's going to be a birdie-fest". Had the Irish duo missed something?

Their startled reaction, at least initially, suggested that maybe their own conclusions were somehow wrong. Before any self-doubt could infiltrate their mindsets, however, the two Dubliners - who had uncharacteristically delayed their arrival here until Tuesday evening so that Harrington could spend some time working with his coach, Bob Torrance, on a few niggling swing thoughts - diplomatically turned Howell's assessment into a moment of lightness.

"I thought it was a tough course. I didn't realise it's a birdie-fest, we'd better get back out there," quipped Harrington, while McGinley, the other half of a team that will represent Ireland for a ninth successive year, remarked: "I think it's one of those courses that you play first and you think, 'well, there's not a lot to it'. But when the pins are cut around the corner of the water and around the edges of the greens and on the slopes, it becomes a different story."

Nobody bothered to tell them Sergio Garcia felt that, "it's a fairly easy course".

Harrington and McGinley have enough experience to know it, you can only play the course as it is presented; and compete against those who are in the field. So, the fact the course may not be the toughest they'll play on tour this year, or that many of the world's top players have opted to stay away, is not their concern.

Indeed, the thought of not playing in this €3.4-million event never occurred to either of them such is the high estimation they each have of this tournament where 24 two-man teams will battle it out over four days of fourballs and foursomes, a format that replaced the old straight strokeplay model in 2000 when it came under the umbrella of the World Golf Championships.

Since the changeover to the new team factored system, there has been less likelihood of a surprise winner and the champions have, in turn, been quality ones: the US, South Africa, Japan, South Africa, England. If there is a sense some of those nations competing this time round are not at their strongest, such an assertion can't be levelled at either of the top three teams in the betting. England (Luke Donald and David Howell), Spain (Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez) and Ireland all selected their teams based on the highest available players off the world rankings and justifiably deserve their favourites' tag.

For Harrington and McGinley, who teamed-up to win at Kiawah Island in 1997 and have been together ever since, the World Cup is an important stop-off on their worldwide itineraries. Why? "The World Cup is a huge title with huge tradition, it's special. The whole of Ireland will go mad (if we win). We treat anything representing Ireland very carefully and very patriotically. It's a big deal for us, as a small country. We love to be the little fellas competing against the big fellas," said McGinley

Harrington added: "It's a small country syndrome . . . we obviously feel a certain little bit of pride when we're playing for Ireland. A lot of pride, actually!"

Certainly, the Irish duo go into the tournament - where they are paired with Venezuela in today's opening series of fourball better-ball - knowing, at the minimum, they should be in contention for the top prize. And, at the maximum, that they can win it.

"There's six to eight teams who are equally strong in my view," said McGinley, "and it just depends on who plays well during the week."

Familiarity is an asset to the two Irishmen, at least.

They've played foursomes together going back to their amateur days, while it is still a format that confuses others. For instance, Zach Johnson, one of the American team, had never played it before until he did so in practice here. "There are things about alternate shot that are a little bit unusual," said Stewart Cink, "and mentally I think it can have an effect on you if you're not comfortable with the person you're playing with."

As far as Harrington and McGinley are concerned, there is total trust in the other. "I think we both know both of us are giving 100 per cent when we're on the golf course. It helps that we've got confidence in what the other guy is doing and knowing that he's fully committed."

After finishing third in last year's World Cup at Seville - when England, then represented by Luke Donald and Paul Casey, held off Spain - Ireland's familiar pairing of Harrington and McGinley know further improvement is possible, even if Harrington felt the need to work with coach Torrance on Tuesday rather than inspect the course. The tinkering has obviously worked, Harrington yesterday affirmed he feels "a lot better about my game".

Not that McGinley was too worried about his old partner.

"It doesn't bother me how Padraig's playing, because he's like Tiger. He always finds a way of getting it around. If he's playing great, great. If he's playing poorly, he's still playing great."

It just remains to be seen if the expectations can match the confidence levels.