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Montgomerie set to name Olazabal as Ryder Cup vice-captain

Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Vicky Woollaston
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Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal

Colin Montgomerie has decared that Jose Maria Olazabal would be his 'number one' choice as Ryder Cup vice-captain

Colin Montgomerie has announced that he is keen to add Jose Maria Olazabal to his backroom staff for the 2010 Ryder Cup, if the Spaniard fails to play his way onto the European Team.

He told Sky Sports News: "Ollie is the one guy I have always wanted, believe it or not ever since we first met back in 1984 in the British Amateur final at Formby.

"He beat me in the final. Now he has come to me and said that he would want to try and be playing in that team.

"If not, he has accepted that he will be part of a backroom team if you like, because he was very good with Nick Faldo (at Valhalla last year)."

However, two-time US Masters winner Olazabal will have his work cut out playing his way into the Ryder Cup side after sitting at 570th place in the world golf rankings and being dogged by rheumatism since 2007.

Montgomerie will be looking to regain the Ryder Cup for Europe at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales next year after being named captain back in January.

"Not just in a vice- captain, but in the caddy team as well, we need good people from the Tour as well. We need everyone to get together here. This is a campaign to regain the Ryder Cup and it starts here," added the passionate Scot.