Former British Open champion Tom Lehman has been appointed US Ryder Cup captain for the next match against Europe at the K Club in 2006, the PGA of America said yesterday.
Lehman, who won the 1996 British Open at Royal Lytham, takes over from Hal Sutton, whose team had a record defeat at the hands of Bernhard Langer's Europeans by 18½ points to 9½ at Oakland Hills in September.
The 45-year-old Lehman, who played in three Ryder Cups during the 1990s, held off the challenge of fellow major winners Mark O'Meara, Larry Nelson, Fred Couples and Corey Pavin for the captaincy.
"What a thrill and an honour it is. Being the Ryder Cup captain is certainly beyond my wildest dreams," Lehman told a teleconference.
"The Ryder Cup, to me, is the ultimate golf experience. I have a real passion for the event. But we have a tough road ahead of us. Although we always go into the Ryder Cup as the favourites, four of the last five have been won by Europe. Without question, we will go to Ireland as the underdogs."
Lehman, who made his Ryder Cup debut at Oak Hill in 1995, was on the US team that rallied in the last-day singles to win a turbulent match at Brookline in 1999 by 14½ points to 13½.
He was heavily criticised by the Europeans, and particularly by vice-captain Sam Torrance, for being among several US players and spouses who charged across the 17th green shortly after Justin Leonard had holed out from 45 feet. Leonard's opponent, Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal, was still facing his own putt at the time which could have saved the overall match for Europe.
Torrance later recalled in his autobiography "the most disgraceful and disgusting day in the history of professional golf. The spectators behaved like animals and some of the American players, most notably Lehman, acted like madmen."
In a telephone conversation a month later Lehman, even dubbed the "Beast of Brookline", apologised to Torrance "from the bottom of my heart" and last night he said: "The past couple of matches have shown that what happened is a thing of the past. I am sure the sportsmanship and respect will continue - we are well beyond the incident.
"But what makes the Ryder Cup fantastic is the emotional side. It would not be the Ryder Cup without it. I am a very emotional, passionate, impulsive person."
Former world number one Tiger Woods, however, believes Lehman is an ideal choice to lead the Americans at the first Ryder Cup to be played on Irish soil.
"I think he'll be great," Woods said yesterday as he prepared for this week's Tour Championship at Atlanta's East Lake Golf Club.
"He was one of the spearheads that we had at Valderrama and one of the leaders in the locker-room at Brookline, so I think he'll do a great job.
"At least Tom is a contemporary of ours, and I've played on all my Ryder Cup teams basically with Tom," added Woods, a Ryder Cup player in 1997, 1999, 2002 and again this year. "He's been my partner in Ryder Cup play. I think it's a good choice."
The PGA of America announced Lehman's appointment at its 86th annual meeting in Amelia Island, Florida.
The Europeans, who have a one-year qualification period for the Ryder Cup compared to the two-year system adopted by the US, will name their captain for the 2006 match next year.
1959: Born March 7th, Austin, Minnesota.
1982: Turns professional.
1983: Plays the first of three consecutive seasons on the PGA Tour without making much of an impression.
1985: Switches his playing schedule to Asia and South Africa for the rest of the 1980s.
1992: Returns to the PGA Tour and ends the season 24th in the money list, including a best tournament finish of tied for second at the Hardees Golf Classic.
1994: Wins his first PGA Tour title at the Memorial tournament, having finished runner-up to Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal at the US Masters in April. Ends the year fourth in the money list with earnings of $1,031,144.
1995: Clinches second tournament victory at the Colonial National Invitation, but is sidelined for a month because of colon surgery.
Makes his Ryder Cup debut in a losing US team at Oak Hill, Rochester.
1996: Sets up career-best year with his maiden major victory in the British Open at Royal Lytham, a closing 73 leaving him two strokes clear of second-placed Ernie Els and Mark McCumber.
Signs off with another win at the season-ending Tour Championship before being named PGA Tour Player of the Year.
1997: Fails to win a PGA Tour title but on April 20th becomes the second American player, after Fred Couples in 1992, to head the official world rankings.
Has a chance to win the US Open at Congressional in June but finds water at the 71st hole on his way to third place, two strokes behind winner Els.
Makes his second Ryder Cup appearance at Valderrama in Spain, where the US lose to Europe by 14½ points to 13½.
1998: Ties for second at the prestigious Players' Championship and shares fifth at the US Open but misses the cut in the British Open at Royal Birkdale after suffering a shoulder injury. Has shoulder surgery in November.
1999: Helps the US win back the Ryder Cup at Brookline, a 3 & 2 victory over Britain's Lee Westwood on the final day preserving his unbeaten record in three Cup singles matches.
2000: Produces his most lucrative season on the PGA Tour, winning his fifth title at the Phoenix Open before ending the year 12th in the money list with earnings of $2,068,499. Has surgery on his right knee before the US PGA Championship in August.
2004: Appointed US Ryder Cup captain for the 2006 match against Europe at the K Club in County Kildare.
