Seve Olazábal, the esteemed Spanish golfer and two-time Masters champion, will return as a vice-captain for Team Europe at the upcoming Ryder Cup. At 59, Olazábal would be partnering with captain Luke Donald. Together, they’ll defend Europe’s title at the winners’ only event in Bethpage Black, New York, September 26-28.
Olazábal has a storied Ryder Cup legacy. He has appeared in 31 matches over seven World Cup appearances since his debut in 1987. He hasn’t played in the tournament since 2006. He is perhaps best known as the last captain to lead Europe to a victory on American soil. His experience and deep understanding of the competition will be invaluable as Europe tries to hold on to its lead.
With these four names on board, it was now time for captain Luke Donald to persuade another of Europe’s modern legends, Olazábal, to take on the vice-captaincy again. In his own words, Olazábal reflected on the opportunity, stating, “It is wonderful news. When Luke approached me and asked me about the possibility of being a vice captain again, I have to be honest, I thought about it for a while because, you know, being in New York, it’s not going to be easy.”
The Ryder Cup is very personal to Olazábal. He expressed his enthusiasm for returning to the event by saying, “The Ryder Cup is very close to my heart. I have wonderful memories about this event so I said yes.”
Olazábal is embarking on his fifth vice-captaincy go-around. His leadership, indeed, will be key in navigating the convoluted European defense through what promises to be a truckload of orienting-wrongs in this most complicated of events. Right now, fans and players alike are counting down the days until the 2023 Ryder Cup. This exciting contest promises to be held at one of America’s most recognizable golf courses on display to the world.
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