Ryder Cup captaincy decision could be put on hold

ALTHOUGH Colin Montgomerie, for one, sees no reason for any further prevarication when the European Tour's 15-man tournament committee meets in Abu Dhabi this evening to discuss who succeeds Nick Faldo as Europe's Ryder Cup captain, Thomas Bjorn, the chairman, believes there's no rush and wouldn't be surprised if a final decision was delayed until the committee next gather before the Irish Open in May.

Ever since Europe lost to the USA at Valhalla in Kentucky last autumn, it's been clear on this side of the Atlantic the prestigious job of team leader has been Jose Maria Olazabal's should he choose to accept. In spite of enthusiastic endorsements from his compatriots and others throughout the UK in recent months, Sandy Lyle would miss out if Olazabal was ready to take on the captaincy.

Up until now, mark you, the Spaniard has been hesitant to confirm his candidacy for the job in two years' time. His season was disrupted by rheumatism in 2008 and the two-time Masters champion would like nothing better than to compete well enough over the next 18 months or so in order to serve Europe as a player in Wales rather than as a captain.

That said, Olazabal is not yet 100 per cent fit and awaits a realistic opportunity to evaluate the state of his game. If Bjorn and his colleagues on the tournament committee take the view the 43-year-old needs more time, then it's expected they'll wait until May. At that point, however, the vacillating must stop and a decision would have to be made.

Last night, however, Bjorn rejected the suggestion the committee was on hold for Olazabal or anyone else. "I'm not naming any names, but we are not holding out for anybody," he insisted. "We need to think long and hard about it.

We want to go through all the factors that come into being Ryder Cup captain. There have been a lot of feelings expressed about this captaincy and the last one and we want that to settle.

"We are going to take our time. We don't need to decide tomorrow – the time when we do is before the points start in September. I would not be surprised if we don't announce it."

Even as things stand, there's a strong case for pressing Olazabal to give a straight yes or no. In the event of waiting until May, it could be the Spaniard will feel at that time he's fit enough to give himself a chance of playing his way into the side. Should he turn down the offer, whoever is asked to fill the breach may feel like a second choice.

In conversation last month, Monty felt it was make-your- mind-up-time for Europe. "The Americans have selected their captain and I see no reason why we should delay ours," he said. "My view is Olazabal, who is two- and-a-half years younger than I am, would be a great asset to any team if fit and playing to his standard. Which leaves Mr Lyle."

The only thing that's changed since then is Olazabal seems more ambivalent than ever about what to do next. At the Royal Trophy, where he captained the European side against Asia, the Spaniard was flattered by speculation linking him with the captaincy. "I would love to be considered, I'm not going to deny that," he said. "I've never denied that being captain of the Ryder Cup is something really special, it's a privilege, but it's always been like that. I learned certain things this week that I'll keep in mind if the captaincy for the Ryder Cup happens."

On the other hand, playing in the match again also still means a lot. "I would love to be playing – if these guys allow me," he added. "I think maybe it is too soon (to be captain) but time will tell."

What's not at issue, is Olazabal's popularity with his peers. He gave a speech on Saturday evening at Valhalla which was so moving, some of the European players brushed away tears. And at the Royal Trophy, Paul Lawrie had nothing but praise for Olazabal's leadership. "Paul McGinley summed it up perfectly when he said that any player who makes Jose Maria's team as Ryder Cup captain will be lucky indeed," said the Aberdonian.

The re-assuring element for Olazabal, of course, is if he doesn't want to take charge at Celtic Manor, he'll be the short-priced favourite to land the job in 2012 when the match is held at Medinah in Illinois. For Lyle, on the other hand, there will be no second chances.

As the holder of two majors and a five-time Ryder Cup player, twice as a winner, it's astonishing that Lyle didn't push himself forward as a candidate ten years ago when Europe needed someone to succeed Seve Ballesteros. The job went to Mark James in 1999, but if Lyle had beaten the drum then the way he's done over the past six months it's inconceivable he wouldn't have been selected by his peers. The Scot, though, was backwards in coming forward to promote himself.

Yet it would do the European Tour no credit if Lyle's good manners stood in the way of an overdue recognition. The only member of Europe's "famous five" – Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Faldo and Ian Woosnam were the others – waiting to be offered the job, the past Masters and Open champion is no longer willing to sell himself short. "If I am to be brutally honest," he said, "the Ryder Cup captaincy is an honour I think I deserve in recognition of my past achievements."

While Lyle has played a clever hand, offering to recruit vice-captains of the calibre of Langer, Woosnam and Sam Torrance, there are issues which stand against the Scot. Four of the last five European captains have been British and, in the interests of balance, there's a feeling the next leader should come from the continent.

There's also a school of thought that current Tour players make more effective captains than those playing senior golf. Faldo was the first non-active golfer to captain Europe since Bernard Gallacher and his side's crushing defeat at Valhalla could, in part, be attributed to not understanding the players as well as Ballesteros, Torrance, Langer and Woosnam did.

Apart from Olazabal and Lyle, there have been mentions in dispatches for Miguel Angel Jimenez and Paul McGinley while Woosnam, as a Welshman, has been tipped for a second term. Although the contingency is not impossible, there are so many eligible candidates deserving of the honour it's difficult to imagine anyone being asked to do the job twice any time soon.

PROFILE

JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL

The Masters champion in 1994 and 1999, the Spaniard made his debut in the Ryder Cup as a 21-year-old in 1987 and went on to forge arguably the greatest partnership in the history of the match against the USA with his compatriot Seve Ballesteros.

Between them, the Spanish duo won 11, halved two and lost only two of their ties together. Olazabal, 43 next month, served as Nick Faldo's vice-captain at Valhalla and was hugely popular with the European players.

Olazabal has been reluctant to put his name forward for next year's match, and this week may be too early for him to commit to the job. If that proves to be the case, any decision could be delayed until the committee meet in May.

"I've never denied that being captain of the Ryder Cup is something really special. It's a privilege, but it's always been like that," he said. "If now is the right time or not, I'm not sure. I would love to be playing – if these guys allow me."

SANDY LYLE

The Open champion in 1985 and Scotland's only Masters champion in 1988, Lyle made five Ryder Cup appearances against the USA between 1979 and 1987.

A thrilling champion at his peak, Lyle once featured in Tony Jacklin's Ryder Cup dream team as a 'forgotten hero'.

The Scot is 51 next month and served as one of Ian Woosnam's backroom assistants when Europe thrashed the USA at the K Club in 2006. He believes this is his last chance to captain Europe. "I can't see any reason why not me," Lyle said last week. "I look like the favourable choice."

The affable Lyle has few enemies, but after the failure of Nick Faldo's captaincy in Kentucky doubts have been raised about the policy of passing the captaincy around Europe's former major champions, and whether Lyle has the strength of character needed for the job, after he walked off the course just ten holes into the Open last year.

WHAT NEXT?

THE position of Europe's Ryder Cup captain lies in the gift of the players and is effectively rubber-stamped by the Ryder Cup board.

The 15-man European Tour tournament committee, which is chaired by Denmark's Thomas Bjorn and includes both Colin Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie among its members, draw up a shortlist of candidates before identifying the individual they want to lead Europe against the USA at Celtic Manor.

This recommendation is then passed onto the Ryder Cup directors for approval. "In my time," noted Montgomerie, "the board has never gone against the committee's decision."

The Ryder Cup captaincy at Celtic Manor in 2010 is on the agenda for tonight's meeting of the tournament committee in Abu Dhabi. If no decision is reached, the committee meet again in May.

The European system, which entrusts the king-making process to the players, is different from the American formula, where PGA of America officials choose the US captain. Corey Pavin was recently named as Paul Azinger's successor.