Ryder Cup: Europe
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Your support makes all the difference.Captain: Sam Torrance
Age: 49. Country: Scotland.
Ryder Cup appearances: 8 (1981, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95). Ryder Cup record: P28 W7 H6 L15.
Has never made a secret of how much he enjoys the Ryder Cup and will forever be remembered as the man who holed the winning putt at The Belfry in 1985. The Americans had not been beaten for 28 years but before the glory at the 18th, Torrance had holed from six feet to draw level with Andy North. At the last he had two for it from 15 feet but needed only one. Also enjoyed victory in 1987, having proposed to his wife Suzanne on Concorde on the way over, and 1995. Was the rookie of the year in 1972 and won 21 times on the European Tour having become an early pioneer of the broomhandled putter. Vice-captain is Ian Woosnam with Mark James and Joakim Haeggman also in the back-room team.
Thomas Bjorn
Age: 31. Country: Denmark.
Ryder Cup appearances: 1 (1997).
Ryder Cup record: P2 W1 H1.
Pro wins: 8. World ranking: 34. Majors: 0.
First Dane to win Ryder Cup honours, gained a half with Justin Leonard in Europe's 1997 win from four down after four holes. Joint-second in 2000 Open and third in US PGA a month later, then in Dubai last year went head-to-head with Tiger Woods for 72 holes and won. In form after recent win in Germany.
Darren Clarke
Age: 34. Country: N Ireland. Ryder Cup appearances: 2 (1997, 99). Ryder Cup record: P7 W3 L4.
Pro wins: 11. World ranking: 18. Majors: 0.
Only player in European Tour history to have two rounds of 60. Twice runner-up on Order of Merit and was joint-second in 1997 Open. Hardly used on debut, but with Lee Westwood beat Tiger Woods and David Duval in 1999. Famous victory over Woods again in the World Matchplay Championship final last year.
Niclas Fasth
Age: 30. Country: Sweden.
Ryder Cup appearances: 0.
Pro wins: 1. World ranking: 35. Majors: 0.
The quiet Swede has rebuilt his career since losing both his European and US Tour cards in 1998. His only professional win remains the 2000 Madeira Island Open, but his runner-up finish in last year's Open – the first major he had ever played in – propelled him towards this cup debut. Has finished second twice this season.
Pierre Fulke
Age: 31. Country: Sweden. Ryder Cup appearances: 0.
Pro wins: 3. World ranking: 91.
Majors: 0.
The son of a Swedish swimming champion, Fulke burst to fame at start of qualifying race, winning the 2000 Volvo Masters and reaching the final of the 2001 Accenture World Match Play. His form then dipped alarmingly, but he started this season with second place in Johnnie Walker Classic and has shown glimpses of class since.
Sergio Garcia
Age: 22. Country: Spain. Ryder Cup appearances: 1 (1999). Ryder Cup record: P5 W3 H1 L1.
Pro wins: 8. World ranking: 4.
Majors: 0.
Youngest Ryder Cup player at 19 after winning Irish Open on sixth pro start and finishing runner-up on US PGA debut. Joint top points-scorer at Brookline. Needed a wild card this time after joining US Tour, where he has won three times in climb to world's top five. In top 10 in all four majors this year.
Padraig Harrington
Age: 31. Country: Republic of Ireland.
Ryder Cup appearances: 1 (1999). Ryder Cup record: P3 W1 H1 L1. Pro wins: 4. World ranking: 8. Majors: 0.
Linked with Paul McGinley to give Ireland first World Cup victory in 1997 and earned Ryder Cup cap three years ago by finishing second in last two qualifying events. Has had 17 second places. Top 10 finishes in the first three majors this season, but hampered by ankle and neck injuries.
Bernhard Langer
Age: 45. Country: Germany. Ryder Cup appearances: 9 (1981, 83, 85, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97). Ryder Cup record: P38 W18 H5 L15. Pro wins: 64. World ranking: 26. Majors: 2.
Joins Christy O'Connor Snr as second most capped player in Ryder Cup history behind Nick Faldo. Double Masters winner has had 12 different partners in cup. Omitted last time, but earned recall by finishing joint third in Open and sixth in the Masters last year.
Paul McGinley
Age: 35. Country: Republic of Ireland. Ryder Cup appearances: 0.
Pro wins: 4. World ranking: 70. Majors: 0.
Former Gaelic footballer who concentrated on golf after breaking kneecap. Won 1997 World Cup with Padraig Harrington and expected to partner him again now. Missed only one cut in qualifying race and had 10 top 10s, including Wales Open victory, but earlier this summer went through the worst spell of his career.
Colin Montgomerie
Age: 39. Country: Scotland.
Ryder Cup appearances: 5 (1991, 93, 95, 97, 99). Ryder Cup record: P23 W12 H4 L7.
Pro wins: 32. World ranking: 17. Majors: 0.
Seven times European No 1. Three times runner-up in majors, twice after play-offs, and reached No 2 in world in 1996, but plagued by back trouble this year. Still to be beaten in cup singles and gave a superb performance in Boston three years ago despite fierce heckling.
Jesper Parnevik
Age: 37. Country: Sweden.
Ryder Cup appearances: 2 (1997, 99). Ryder Cup record: P9 W4 H3 L2.
Pro wins: 10. World ranking: 59. Majors: 0.
Wild card for a third time. The son of a comic, has been based in the US since 1996. Last victory anywhere, though, was 18 months ago. Twice a runner-up in The Open. Has yet to lose in foursomes or fourballs, but still to win in singles. Discovered after last match he had irregular heartbeat.
Phillip Price
Age: 35. Country: Wales. Ryder Cup appearances: 0. Pro wins: 2. World ranking: 118. Majors: 0.
The seven-time World Cup player clung on to 10th place in the Ryder Cup table to earn debut. His two European wins both came in Portuguese Open, but best display came in Akron in 2000 when he was joint runner-up to Tiger Woods in NEC World Championship. Eighth on Order of Merit that season, but yet to build properly on that.
Lee Westwood
Age: 29. Country: England.
Ryder Cup appearances: 2 (1997, 99). Ryder Cup record: P10 W4 L6. Pro wins: 24. World ranking: 141. Majors: 0.
Dethroned Montgomerie as European No 1 in 2000 with five wins and then second place in American Express World Championship, but has not won since and slumped outside world's top 140 from fourth in May 2001. Looked more like old self in coming 15th in NEC World Championship last month.
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