Golf: Olazabal announces Ryder Cup picks at Gleneagles

Aug 31 2012 by Katy Gordon, Strathearn Herald

The world’s media descended on the Gleneagles Hotel on Monday to learn the final two picks for this year’s Ryder Cup European team.

Jose Maria Olazabal named the two wildcard players in the ballroom of the hotel, which will host the competition in 2014.

And there were no surprises when he announced he had picked Ian Poulter and Nicolas Colsaerts, heavily tipped to be favourites for the spots.

The weekend’s Johnnie Walker Championship, held at the luxury resort, was the final chance for players to claim a place on the team, which will take on their American counterparts in Illinois next month.

A number of players had hoped to use the competition as a way to earn a place on the team, including Colsaerts, Rafael Cabrera-Bello and David Lynn.

And during the press conference, broadcasted live around the world, Olazabal admitted he waited to the last moment to make the decision.

“I spoke to the vice captains on Friday,” he said, “and my mind was made up yesterday [Sunday].”

Both of the chosen players made an appearance at the press conference — Colsaerts in person and Poulter over the phone from the USA.

When asked to describe to Colsaerts, a Ryder Cup debutante, what the experience of stepping onto the first tee at a Ryder Cup would feel like, Poulter admitted that he “can’t put it into words”.

Captain Olazabal said: “The atmosphere is going to be electrifying and part of my job is to prepare the team for that.”

Olazabal added that it was the “attitude and spirit” of the players that won him over, and put them at the top of a list of maybes that included Padraic Harrington, amongst others.

Earlier on Monday it was announced that Ernst and Young had become an official partner of the 2012 Ryder Cup team, as well as the 2014 Ryder Cup, which will be staged at Gleneagles.

The completed European team is made up of: Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell, Paul Lawrie, Francesco Molinari, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Peter Hanson, Martin Kaymer, Nicolas Colsaerts and Ian Poulter.