Montgomerie selects Ryder Cup vice-captains
Colin Montgomerie has confirmed that he will be adding three vice-captains to his European Ryder Cup team. Montgomerie announced his selections were Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, and Darren Clarke. The Ryder Cup takes place in Wales from October 1st -3rd.
Montgomerie will lead the Europe team against the US team, captained by Corey Pavin, at the Celtic Manor in Wales. The Scotsman just participated in the 2010 British Open at St Andrews Old Course in Fife, Scotland, and said on Tuesday:
"Any winning team has fantastic support behind the scenes and it is a great pleasure to introduce three experienced, passionate and well-respected people, people committed to regaining the Ryder Cup here in Wales.”
There were rumours that Montgomerie was going to select more English players, because of where the cup is taking place, however as it turns out he has increased the Irish presence.
Montgomerie and Clarke have partnered before, and have won four of the five matches they were partnered together. In 1997 Clarke played his first game at Valderrama with Montgomerie as his fourball partner and the two beat Fred Couples and Davis Love.
Clarke, 41, plays on both the PGA and European Tours, and has represented Ireland as both an amateur and professional golfer at the World Cup and Alfred Dunhill Cup. His best finish was in 2000 when he beat Tiger Woods at the WGC-Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship. He was second on the European Tour money list as recently as 2003 and has played on five consecutive Ryder Cup teams for Europe.
Clarke’s fellow countryman Rory McIlroy performed well in the first round of the British Open, and is a certain starter for the Celtic Manor match, as is US Open champion Graeme McDowell. Like Clarke, both are from Northern Ireland. McGinley is also from Dublin, as is Padraig Harrington. Harrington did not make the cut at the British Open and is a favourite for a wild card at the Ryder Cup; though he still has time to qualify automatically.
McGinley believes Europe have a strong chance at winning the cup this year,
"Based on world rankings, we're clear favourites . . . It's not often you can say that about a European side, usually it is only the Americans that are clear favourites. This is undoubtedly one of the strongest European teams we have had."
McGinley is Irish and currently resides in Sunningdale England. His claim to fame is scoring the winning putt for the European team at the 2002 Ryder cup. He has won four events on the European Tour, including the World Cup of golf, which he played for his native country with Harrington in 1997. McGinley’s best finish was third in the European Tour Order of Merit in 2005, which resulting in him briefly seeing the inside of the Top 20 on the Official World Golf Rankings.
Bjorn was pleased to be amongst Montgomerie’s selections,
“It is an honour to be part of the team behind the scenes trying to win back the Ryder Cup. We want to go to Wales and get that trophy back . . . To work with Monty will be a great experience and I am sure we have a strong team to win the trophy back."
Bjorn is the most successful golfer on the European Tour. He has won 10 tournaments on the European Tour and has finished in the top ten on the Order of Merit five times with his best finish at fifth place in 2000. He was in the top 10 of the Official World Rankings after placing second at the 2001 Scottish Open and has been on the 1997 and 2002 winning European Ryder cup teams.
Bjorn is from Denmark and is currently living in Wentworth England. He was left out of the 2006 Ryder Cup team, a decision made by then- captain Ian Woosnam. Bjorn described the relationship between Woosnam and him as “completely dead” afterwards. Bjorn apologized a day later, but was fined a substantial amount by the European Tour. Lee Westwood was selected in Bjorn’s place, and the European team won against the US team 18.5 to 9.5, one of the largest victories in the Ryder Cup history.
Bjorn is happy to be back on the team, and Westwood is a wild card for the tournament.
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