Golf:Jose Maria Olazabal insists he would love to captain Europe in the 2012 Ryder Cup, health permitting. Outgoing captain Colin Montgomerie has repeatedly championed Olazabal's cause in the wake of Europe's dramatic win yesterday.
The 44-year-old, who was one of the vice-captains in the victorious effort at Celtic Manor over the last few days, has been named Montgomerie’s favourite to lead the team at Medinah and the Spaniard would relish the honour provided he is not kept sidelined too much by rheumatism.
“We have talked about it but there is just one issue and that is my health. I would love to do it, but you have to fulfil certain things,” Olazabal said today. “You need to be close to the players and play with them during the qualifying process, that is why (health) is the only question mark.”
Reflecting on his experiences at the 2010 Ryder Cup, Olazabal added: “It was the first time I have been a vice-captain at the Ryder Cup on this side of the Atlantic and I could feel the difference — the crowd support, the atmosphere.
“The Ryder Cup is a special and unique event and it has been great to be a part of it.”
Montgomerie insisted earlier that he would not continue as captain and that Olazabal should be the man to replace him.
“He watched what was done this time, he has notes over his playing career the same as mine — we both played eight Ryder Cups, a lot of them together — he has a lot of experience, as much as I have, and I am sure he will do as good, if not a better, job than I did,” the Scot said.
Darren Clarke, a vice-captain at Celtic Manor, was adamant he would not seek to be skipper in two years’ time as he hopes to be in the United States in a playing capacity.
Padraig Harrington also supported Olazabal’s candidacy, saying: “I think Olly would be all the players’ choice. Monty put his Ryder Cup career on the line by doing it once, I don’t think he’d want to do it again.
“Olly has had a great Ryder Cup career, he brings a lot of passion to the game and he looks like he’d make a great captain but it’s a tough job. Monty did a great job this week, in order to be remembered as a great captain you need to have a winning team, so there’s a lot of pressure on Olly if he does take it.”