Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke has named Ian Poulter, Thomas Bjørn, Padraig Harrington and Paul Lawrie as his first four vice captains for the contest against the United States at Hazeltine in September.
As well as all being current Tour players, the quarter will also bring vital Ryder Cup experience to the team, having competed in 16 Ryder Cups between them.
Poulter was ruled out of taking part as a player following an ankle injury that flared up earlier this month, although his current standing in the points list would have required a wildcard selection for the 40 year old to make a sixth appearance.
In his five Ryder Cup outings, Poulter has been on the winning side four times, and even in the defeat at Valhalla in 2008, he still emerged as the top points scorer, with four points out of five. He has 12 wins and two half points from the 18 matches, but it was his performance at Medinah in 2012 – where he again emerged as top points scorer from either side – for which he will perhaps best be remembered.
“The best moments of my career have come when I have been wearing the blue and gold crest of Europe on my chest,” said Poulter. “Darren shares that same passion and he knows I will be there to assist him and the 12 players who will line up at Hazeltine in any way I can.”
Bjørn has been on the winning side in all three of his Ryder Cup appearances in 1997, 2002 and 2014; Lawrie was part of the ‘Miracle of Medinah’ in his second of two appearances in 2012; while Harrington helped Europe lift the trophy on four of his six appearances in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010.
This will be Bjørn’s fourth time as a vice-captain, after performing that role in 2004, 2010, and 2012, while Harrington was part of Paul McGinley’s backroom team during Europe’s win at Gleneagles in 2014.
Clarke said: “The four vice captains bring a wealth of experience and knowledge and their input will be invaluable to Europe’s cause. I could not have asked for anybody better to be standing shoulder to shoulder with me in the bid to bring the Ryder Cup home.”
Clarke confirmed that he will have a total of five vice captains, with the remaining one to be named once the full playing squad has been decided.
US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III is to announce the first three of his four wildcard players on September 12. He will reveal his fourth and final pick on September 25. Clarke will announce all of his captain’s choices on September 30.