DUBAI, 3 March 2005 — Welshman Ian Woosnam will captain the 2006 European Ryder Cup side with England’s Nick Faldo taking over in the United States two years later.
The unprecedented double announcement was made yesterday by the European Ryder Cup committee which met in Dubai ahead of the Desert Classic tournament.
The pint-sized Woosnam takes over from Bernhard Langer, who led Europe to a stunning 18.5 to 9.5 points win last year over the Americans in Detroit, when Europe defend the trophy at Ireland’s K Club on Sept. 22-24, 2006.
“What a fantastic way to celebrate my birthday,” said Woosnam who turned 47 on Wednesday.
“I’ve enjoyed the thrill of playing under three superb Ryder Cup captains in Tony Jacklin, Bernhard Gallacher and Seve Ballesteros and of course I was assistant captain to Sam Torrance in 2002.
“So after being involved in no fewer than nine matches from 1983, I can’t tell you how much I missed not being involved last year. Now it’s all systems go for 2006 and Ireland.
Woosnam was vice-captain to Torrance in the 2002 winning side at The Belfry, England.
Langer had been asked to captain the side again in Ireland, but declined saying that he wanted to win his way onto the team as a player instead.
That left old Ryder Cup teammates Woosnam and Faldo as the front-runners with the Welshman getting the nod by a unanimous vote here Tuesday of the 14-member European Ryder Cup committee.
Woosnam congratulated the decision to name Faldo as skipper for the 2008 tournament to be played over the Valhalla course near Louisville, Kentucky, but he made it clear that he would not choose the six-times Majors winner as his vice-captain. “I will make an announcement on this at the European Open (late June) and it will be an Irishman who will be my vice-captain,” he said.
