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Olazabal to return as European Ryder Cup vice-captain / Photo: © AFP/File
NYSE - LSE
Olazabal to return as European Ryder Cup vice-captain
Jose Maria Olazabal will reprise his role as a vice-captain for Europe's Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black in September, the European Tour announced on Wednesday.
The Spaniard, the last captain to win a Ryder Cup away from home at Medinah in 2012, will be hoping to help Luke Donald's men achieve the same feat and retain the trophy they won back from the United States in Rome two years ago.
Olazabal, who made seven appearances in the matchplay showdown as a player, joins Thomas Bjorn and Edoardo Molinari in returning to Donald's team room after also being vice-captains in 2023.
"I thought about it for a while because, you know, being in New York, it's not going to be easy," said two-time Masters champion Olazabal.
"But the Ryder Cup is very close to my heart. I have wonderful memories about this event so I said yes."
Donald led Europe to a 16.5-11.5 victory in Italy to regain the trophy and will be the first back-to-back captain since Bernard Gallacher won at his third attempt as skipper in 1995.
"It's extremely important for us to know we have the last captain to have won on foreign soil on our side," Englishman Donald said of Olazabal.
"I was part of that team as a player and got to witness his never-give-up attitude and the inspiration he drew from Seve that week.
"There might be some tough times in New York when we all need that experience, that passion and that mentality."
The 2012 'Miracle at Medinah', when Europe came back from 10-4 down to stun the Americans, was the last time either team won on foreign soil.
A.Clark--SFF
