VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — Europe will be taking five vice captains to the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, with Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jose Maria Olazabal added to the list of Paul McGinley’s assistants on Wednesday.
McGinley had named Sam Torrance and Des Smyth as his first two vice captains in March.
“I know it’s been common in the past to have three or four vice captains but I’ve gone for five because I feel an extra person is justified due to the additional workload which comes from being the home team,” McGinley said in a European Tour statement.
There were five vice captains under Colin Montgomerie at the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, which the European team won to regain the trophy.
Olazabal was captain of the European team that came from 10-6 down on the final day to beat the United States in Medinah in 2012, and played in the competition on seven occasions. It will be the Spaniard’s third Ryder Cup as a vice captain.
Jimenez also has been vice captain twice before, in 1997 and 2012. Harrington has played in six Ryder Cups but has never been a vice captain.
“They will all bring valuable insight and experience to the players and the team room,” said McGinley, who completed his playing lineup on Tuesday by selecting Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Stephen Gallacher as his captain’s picks.
The Ryder Cup in Gleneagles, Scotland, is from Sept. 26-28. Europe is seeking an eighth win in 10 competitions.
The call-up continues Olazabal’s association with the Ryder Cup, which began in 1987 when he made the first of seven appearances as a player. He struck up a fearsome partnership with fellow Spaniard Seve Ballesteros, setting the standard with a record of 11-2-2.
“Jose Maria’s passion for the Ryder Cup is recognized the world over,” McGinley said.
“It was obvious in his legendary partnership with Seve and was also so very apparent two years ago at Medinah, so I’m delighted he has accepted my invitation to be involved again, once more maintaining that important continuity.”
McGinley described former school mate Harrington as “my oldest friend on tour” and said Jimenez — the colorful, cigar-smoking Spaniard — is “someone that the spectators love as well as being very popular with all the players.”
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