Olazabal named Ryder Cup captain

As expected, José Maria Olazábal has been named the captain of the next Ryder Cup team, to be held at Medinah Country Club, in Illinois, USA, from September 28-30, 2012.

The two-time Masters Champion, Olazabal, will be the 23rd golfer to captain a Ryder Cup team against the USA, and the second Spaniard, following Seve Ballesteros in 1997.

Olazábal made the first of his seven Ryder Cup appearances in 1987, when Europe created history by winning on American soil for the first time and he was also on the winning European team in 1997 and 2006.

With Ballesteros he  formed the most successful partnership in Ryder Cup history in the fourballs and foursomes with 11 wins and two halved matches from 15 played. His overall record of 18 wins and 20½ points, puts him fifth in the European lists for most matches won and most points won respectively.

Olazabal will be charged with retaining the Ryder Cup, after Colin Montgomerie led Europe to a 14 ½ – 13 ½ victory at The Celtic Manor Resort last September.
“The two Masters wins at Augusta National are the highlight of my playing career,” Olazabal said, “but this is my proudest moment.”

“Golf has been my life and representing Europe in The Ryder Cup has given me so much enjoyment. So to be named the European Ryder Cup captain is something very special and I am looking forward to the next 20 months before we reach Medinah.

“Without question The Ryder Cup has given me many memorable times especially with Seve from the moment we were first partners in 1987 and Europe won in America for the first time. We were unbeaten in 1989 and 1991 and we won our last match together in 1993.

 
“Seve was also our Captain at Valderrama in 1997 and that was especially significant because the match was played in Spain and on the Continent for the first time and, of course, we won. In all I’ve played under five Captains – Tony Jacklin, Bernard Gallacher, Mark James, Ian Woosnam and Seve – and the last in 2006 with Woosie was one to remember because we won 18 ½ – 9½. I played two fourball matches with Sergio (Garcia) and we won both and then I beat Phil Mickelson in the singles which was the last match I played.

“It was also a wonderful experience to be involved as a vice captain with Nick Faldo in 2008 and then again with Colin Montgomerie. We all know The Ryder Cup is one of the most exciting and important competitions in the golfing calendar, and that it always inspires team members and spectators alike, but there is nothing like holding that trophy at the end of the week.

“I have spent a lot of my career in America and the fans there have always been fair to me. We want to keep the Cup, and that will be our priority, but I know that the American team will share with us the desire for this match to continue the fabulous tradition of The Ryder Cup with fair play and good sportsmanship the vital ingredients.”

Olazábal, who won the Masters Tournament in 1994 and again in 1999 after recovering from rheumatoid polyarthritis in three joints of his right foot and two in his left, struck his first shots at the age of two at the Real Golf de San Sebastian.  He has won 23 times on The European Tour with 30 wins in all worldwide.

Medinah Country Club’s Number 3 Championship Course, close to Chicago, has hosted five major championships – the US Open in 1949, 1975 and in  1990 (when Olazábal finished tied eighth) and the US PGA Championship in 1999 and 2006. After the 1999 US PGA Championship Rees Jones, the renowned architect, undertook a modification project and the course played to more than 7,500 yards from the championship tees in the 2006 US PGA Championship.

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