European captain Jose Maria Olazabal has named three of his four Vice Captains for the 2012 Ryder Cup.
Olazabal: Plenty of support
Due to get underway September 28 at Medinah Country Club, Chicago, Illinois, Olazabal has revealed that Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley will be three of his four Vice Captains for the all-important clash with the USA.
There's plenty of experience amongst those names, with the trio having played ten Ryder Cups between them, with nine wins to their credit.
Bjorn, Clarke and McGinley were also all working together alongside Olazabal at Celtic Manor in 2010, helping captain Colin Montgomerie when Europe retained the Cup.
Olazabal told Europeantour.com: "I could not be more delighted than to have Thomas, Darren and Paul as Vice Captains especially as we bonded so well supporting Colin Montgomerie in 2010. All three are world class golfers with tremendous experience of playing in The Ryder Cup which is absolutely invaluable.
"For me to have these guys - all such great friends - by my side is fantastic. I know like me they will now be counting down the days to to Medinah with one aim - to return home with the Cup.
"My own experiences as a Vice Captain in 2008 and 2010 taught me that you need a lot of help that week. You need eyes, extra eyes to follow the players in the practice rounds to gather as much information as you can about how everyone is playing.
"Then it is important to have each match watched because you have to hand in your pairings for the afternoon matches when the players are still out on the course. That means it is essential to have all the information you can get before you put those pairings down on paper - my Vice Captains will make sure that is the case and I will name the fourth one at the August 27 Conference when I announce my two picks."
Bjorn said: "I said in 2010 that if you can't play well enough to be on the team then I am very happy to do this role. I'm delighted to be invited by Jos Maria and to be one of his Vice Captains. We know that an experienced backroom team can make a big difference, and together we will be looking to support the Captain in making good decisions and making the team feel comfortable with what they are doing."
Clarke said: "I am really pleased to be part of Jos Maria's team and I know that we can instil that relaxed atmosphere in the team room and help the Captain get the best out of the players. Make no mistake this is a very strong backroom team because we have been there before and done it before. We'll be seeking to use our experience to re-create that terrific team spirit and bonding that has made the European team room such a special place to be for so many years."
McGinley said: "I am thrilled to be part of Team Europe again and I would like to keep that unbeaten run going."
golf365.com