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With just four months to go until the 2018 Ryder Cup gets underway, European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn has today fleshed out his backroom team – with a couple of significant surprises.

Facing the media at Wentworth this lunchtime, the Dane announced four players – Lee Westwood, Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell – as vice-captains for this year’s match in France, as he seeks to wrestle the Ryder Cup back from American clutches.

The appointments of Westwood and Harrington were expected. The additions of Donald and McDowell, not so much.

In Pictures – Padraig Harrington’s Ryder Cup career
In Pictures – Lee Westwood’s Ryder Cup career

They join Robert Karlsson in Bjorn’s backroom team. The Swede – who has played in two Ryder Cups – was announced as Bjorn’s first assistant just under a year ago.

In Pictures – Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup career

In Pictures – Graeme McDowell’s Ryder Cup career

Ryder Cup Vice Captains Announcement

In February, Bjorn’s American counterpart Jim Furyk announced Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker as two of his assistants, having previously named the 2016 winning captain Davis Love III as part of his team.  

The 2018 Ryder Cup takes place at Le Golf National from September 28-30. America, looking to retain the trophy, has not won on European soil since 1993.


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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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