• Ryder Cup

Monty chooses Clarke for vice-captain role

Darren Clarke has accumulated 11.5 points in the Ryder Cup © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Monty considering Langer for shock Ryder Cup recall
  
• News: Clarke's Ryder Cup chances boosted by US PGA invite
  
• News: Donald leaps into Ryder Cup places
  
• News: Captain Montgomerie happy to shoulder responsibility
  
• News: Monty calls for stars to earn their stripes
  
• News: Rose would relish Ryder Cup partnership with Poulter
  

Darren Clarke has been selected by Colin Montgomerie to be one of Europe's vice-captains at the Ryder Cup in October.

The Ulsterman joins fellow picks Paul McGinley and Denmark's Thomas Bjorn as part of Montgomerie's support network, while the final 12-man team for the tournament at Celtic Manor will not be named until after the Johnnie Walker Championship, which takes place in August.

"It is a great privilege for me to introduce three very passionate men to the Ryder Cup team. There will be no more vice-captains announced; these are the three men who I hope will help win the Ryder Cup," Montgomerie said.

Clarke, 41, has a great affinity with the bi-annual fixture having featured in five winning European teams - most memorably at the K Club, where he earned three points from three matches to help ensure victory just weeks after the death of his wife, Heather.

As a player he has accumulated a personal tally of 11.5 points over the years, and he expressed how much the tournament means to him, indicating that the European team will be leaving no stone unturned as they bid to relieve USA of the trophy.

"The Ryder Cup is very special to all of us," he said. "We've all been part of winning teams, a few of us have been part of losing teams, and it's much better to be on a winning one. We will do whatever we have to do. In the Ryder Cups I've been involved in, the team spirit has been fantastic. We want a relaxed atmosphere, and we want to get the best out of the players."

Bjorn, a two-time player in the event, felt extremely proud to be asked to take up the role. He said: "It's a great honour. When we made the decision to make Monty captain, any player who was unlikely to make the team would always jump at the chance to be involved in a different capacity. To work under Monty will be a great experience.

"The captain has 12 players and a lot of responsibility, and he can't be everywhere all the time. He needs people he can trust to relay information, he needs strong people who the players respect and know you've got the pedigree behind you, which will mean the players will feel they're getting good information and also the captain will feel he's getting good information."

Montgomerie's third choice, McGinley, was famously thrown into the lake after holing the winning putt at the K Club in 2006, and he is confident the Europeans will be basking in similar glory this time around.

"On paper this is the probably the strongest European team ever produced and I'm looking forward to being part of that. It's not going to be easy, but hopefully we can help Monty win the Ryder Cup," he said.

One man who was unfortunate to miss out was Jose Maria Olazabal and 'Monty' confessed he found the decision to omit him from the team an extremely tough one.

"Jose Maria will be a captain of the Ryder Cup in the future, but unfortunately Jose Maria is not keeping good health right now. He hasn't played on the European Tour very much this last two years, and it's important that the players assembled here play week-in week-out, and are together with the players," he added.

"Jose Maria wished us the best of luck in our quest. I made the decision on his behalf, it was a phone call that I didn't want to make, we all know the passion he has, but it is very important to have been around the tour, the entire team. We wish him well, he is not well, and we pray he gets back to winning ways."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.