Team Europe change captain selection process

A new voting process has been announced that will see Team Europe’s Ryder Cup Captain, starting from the 2016 edition at Hazeltine National, decided by a select five-man panel.

This panel will be made-up from the previous three Ryder Cup Captains – for the 2016 selection that means Paul McGinley will be joined by José María Olazábal and Colin Montgomerie – the Chief Executive of The European Tour, and one representative from the Tournament Committee.

Europe’s Ryder Cup Director Richard Hills said: “This decision has come after a series of Tournament Committee meetings and after much reflection, it was felt that this change would see the most suitable candidate being invited to follow on from Paul McGinley at Hazeltine.

“The job of Ryder Cup Captain is an ever expanding and ever demanding role and I think this decision perfectly focuses the three vital ingredients required in any selection process.

“These are; the immediate experience of the three past Captains which brings six years of vital knowledge to the table, the office of the Chief Executive of The European Tour which outlines the wide ranging political and practical requirements; and the Tournament Committee representative who will, having canvassed his colleagues on Tour, bring the feelings and wishes of the players to the discussion.”

Sandy Jones, Chief Executive of the Professional Golfers’ Association, said: “With the expertise of three Ryder Cup Captains, as well as representation from The European Tour’s Tournament Committee and Chief Executive, we believe the new process to select Europe’s Captain is the best way forward.

“The Ryder Cup continues to grow and evolve, and we hope this new process will enable the European Team to continue the success they have enjoyed in recent years.”

This will be the third process used to select The Ryder Cup Captain since players from Continental Europe joined the fold in 1979.

From then until 1997, the Captain was chosen by the Ryder Cup Committee. However, in 1999, Mark James was the first European Captain to be nominated by the European Tour’s Tournament Committee and ratified by the Ryder Cup Board, a process which went on to select Sam Torrance (2002), Bernhard Langer (2004), Ian Woosnam (2006), Sir Nick Faldo (2008), Colin Montgomerie (2010), José María Olazábal (2012) and Paul McGinley (2014).