Olazabal to be ryder cup captain

Taken from BBC Sport website

 

Jose Maria Olazabal is set to be named as Europe's 2012 Ryder Cup captain.

The 44-year-old Spaniard is expected to be announced as Colin Montgomerie's successor at a news conference in Abu Dhabi at about 0930 GMT on Tuesday.

He has played in seven Ryder Cups and been vice-captain in two, and lost just 10 times in 31 matches as a player.

Britain's world number one Lee Westwood said: "He will bring leadership, experience and passion and is going to be fantastic when he leads the team."

Olazabal made his Ryder Cup debut in 1987, and has earned a place in tournament history as part of the most successful partnership, with fellow Spaniard Seve Ballesteros.

He was assistant to Nick Faldo in 2008 and Montgomerie in 2010, when he was a contender to be outright captain, but hesitated over making himself available.

  When Jose Maria conducts a team talk or motivational talk, everyone listens   Lee Westwood

Following last year's 14.5-13.5 win for Europe over the USA at Celtic Manor, Montgomerie ruled himself out of the running to be captain again at Medinah in Chicago in 2012, saying he wanted to play, but gave Olazabal his backing.

In recent years, Europe's captain for the biennial event has been selected by a formal vote of the 15-man Tournament Players Committee, but a phone poll by committee chairman Thomas Bjorn was enough to prove that Olazabal was the unanimous choice.

"Jose Maria has been a great Ryder Cup player and when he was involved with the vice-captaincy at Valhalla [in 2008] and at Celtic Manor [in 2010] he's been superb," Westwood said.

"When Jose Maria conducts a team talk or motivational talk, everyone listens."

The only doubt over Olazabal's suitability was his long-running battle with rheumatic pain, which meant he only played in three competitive European Tour events in 2010.

But he would appear to have given the Tour the health assurances it needs and earned its endorsement and is set to play in the Abu Dhabi Championship, which starts on Thursday.

Westwood believes it does not matter how often the captain-elect plays on the circuit in the build-up to the 2012 match.

Olazabal (right) was Montgomerie's assistant in the 2010 victory

"Everyone knows Ollie and no, I don't see it as a problem if he is not around and playing that much," said Westwood.

"He should play enough events that will keep him abreast of what the likely team members are doing so that shouldn't be a problem."

European Tour chief executive George O'Grady said: "He is an honourable, incredible man - I haven't heard one person who wouldn't love to see him as captain."

The 2012 Ryder Cup takes places at the Medinah Country Club in Illinois on 25 to 30 September.

The Professional Golfers' Association of America has called a press conference for Thursday to announce their captain, with Davis Love III tipped to land the job.

 

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couldn't get anyone more passionate great pick

http://www.golfshake.com/news/view/2159/Olazabel_Confirmed_as_Ryder_Cup_Captain.html

Absolutely delighted, best man for the job.

He will bring some of that mediterranean passion that Seve had.

Plus the players all love him, that's another Ryder cup in the bag...      http://www.golfshake.com/scripts/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/tounge_smile.gif" title="cheeky" width="20" />