(Reuters) – Team Europe captain Luke Donald has named Jose Maria Olazabal as his fourth vice-captain for next month’s Ryder Cup at Rome’s Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, the team announced on Wednesday.
Olazabal, who played for Europe from 1987-2006, was also vice-captain in 2008, 2010 and 2014 and joins Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn and Italian Edoardo Molinari, who were announced as vice-captains earlier.
“I am obviously thrilled to be back involved once again. I am really looking forward to feeling that special adrenaline flow, the intensity and the electricity that only the Ryder Cup can bring…” the 57-year-old Spaniard said in a statement.
“My role will be the same as the rest of the vice-captains, namely to support and help Luke and the 12 players in any way we can, so they can perform at their best and be able to win that trophy back.”
Twice Masters champion Olazabal captained Europe to Ryder Cup glory at Medinah in 2012, where he appointed Bjorn as one of his vice-captains while Colsaerts was the captain’s pick.
“He was my captain when I last played in the Ryder Cup – at Medinah in 2012 – and I thoroughly enjoyed playing for him that year. He picked me to play number one in the singles and that was hugely gratifying,” Donald said.
“To know he had that respect and confidence in me to go out and lead Europe in such a pressurised last-day environment meant a lot, and this feels, perhaps, that I am returning that favour a little bit, as I have a huge amount of confidence in him…
“People notice when Jose Maria walks into a room and you could see at the Hero Cup how much everyone respected him and admired him for all he’s done in the game. I could not be more excited to have him on my team.”
The United States won the last Ryder Cup in Wisconsin last year. Europe have not lost a Ryder Cup on home soil since a 15-13 defeat at The Belfry in 1993.
The Ryder Cup will be held from Sep. 26–Oct. 1.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
