MONTY BACKS NEW RYDER CUP CAPTAIN BJORN

COLIN MONTGOMERIE has welcomed Thomas Bjorn’s appointment as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain after the Dane was charged with wresting the trophy back from the USA in 2018. Bjorn, 45, was the Scot’s vice-captain when Europe regained the cup at Celtic Manor in 2010. ‘Thomas wears his heart on his sleeve and I think that’s important for the role,’ said Montgomerie. ‘I wouldn’t be worried about his combustible and fiery nature, that is good in a way. I think you need that to beat the might of the Americans. ‘We need to win the Ryder Cup back in France and I feel we’ve got the best captain to do that. ‘Thomas was the obvious choice — and definitely the right choice — to be captain in 2018. It will be a great contest in Paris. ‘I saw first-hand what he was like as a vice-captain back in 2010, and he was exceptional. I used him possibly more than any other vice-captain at Celtic Manor.’ US Masters champion Danny Willett, who was part of the European team beaten 17-11 at Hazeltine in October, also backed Bjorn’s appointment. ‘Thomas is a well-respected man in our game and on the European Tour,’ said Willett. ‘From what I saw from him as vice-captain, he will make a fantastic captain.’ Bjorn’s three Ryder Cup appearances as a player all resulted in victories, while he has been a vice-captain four times, including to Darren Clarke in Minnesota two months ago. He was the unanimous choice of the five-man selection panel comprising the three most recent European Ryder Cup captains — Clarke, Paul McGinley and Jose Maria Olazabal — as well as chief executive of the European Tour, Keith Pelley, and European Tour tournament committee member Henrik Stenson. Bjorn (right) said: ‘It’s a huge honour for me to be named European captain for the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris. This is one of the greatest days in my career. ‘I studied a lot of captains as a player and also as a vice-captain. I always wondered what that feeling would be like to be the one leading out a team of 12 great players. ‘Now it’s my turn to do just that and it is an exciting moment for me. ‘I have lived and breathed the European Tour for so long, and now I will do the same with the Ryder Cup for the next two years. ‘I’m very much looking forward to getting started and taking on this task.’ Bjorn will be only the fourth man from outwith the British Isles to lead the European team, following in the footsteps of Spaniards Seve Ballesteros and Olazabal, along with German Bernhard Langer. Scot Paul Lawrie, who was also mooted as a potential captain for the contest at Le Golf National in Paris, tweeted: ‘Fantastic choice @thomasbjorngolf will give it everything he’s got.’