Team Europe: Player profiles

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Lee Westwood: Finished seventh in the Masters in April and won in Malaysia the following week, but suffered a slump in form until a final round of 63 in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in August. The 41-year-old also shared the lead after the first round of the US PGA Championship before finishing 15th, but failed to advance after the first FedEx Cup play-off event. Boasts vast experience with eight consecutive appearances since making his debut in 1997.

Ian Poulter: Has earned the nickname of ‘Mr Ryder Cup’ and it is not difficult to see why. Has twice needed a wild card, including in 2012, but has raised his game on every occasion and none more so than at Medinah. Won all four of his matches and famously birdied the last five holes alongside Rory McIlroy to beat Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson in the Saturday fourballs, after which he told his team-mates ‘We have a pulse.’ Also beat Webb Simpson in the singles to take his record to 12 wins from 15 matches.

Stephen Gallacher: Successfully defended his Dubai Desert Classic title at the start of February but came into the final qualifying event needing to win or finish joint second with just one other player to dislodge Graeme McDowell from the side. Started the second round 15 shots off the lead and after six holes was outside the projected cut mark, but stormed home in 30 for a 65 and shot 65 in the final round as well, missing out on joint second by a single shot.

Graeme McDowell: Held on to the final automatic qualifying place by 1.61 points after Stephen Gallacher was unable to finish in the top two in the last qualifying event in Italy. Claimed the winning point with victory over Hunter Mahan in the final singles match at Celtic Manor in 2010, three months after winning the US Open at Pebble Beach. One of just three European players to lose in the singles at Medinah.

Martin Kaymer: Admitted his form was so poor that he would not have picked himself for the team two years ago, but qualified automatically and ended up securing the point which ensured Europe would retain the trophy with victory over Steve Stricker. Won both the Players Championship and US Open by leading from start to finish in 2014, equalling the lowest halfway total in major championship history with consecutive rounds of 65 at Pinehurst.

Sergio Garcia: A talismanic figure for Europe, so much so that he was brought in as a vice-captain by Colin Montgomerie in 2010 despite becoming disenchanted with golf and taking a two-month break from playing. Won a crucial point alongside Luke Donald in the Saturday fourballs at Medinah and then beat Jim Furyk on the 18th in the singles. Has turned his previously weak putting into an asset and finished second to McIlroy at both the Open and Bridgestone Invitational.

Henrik Stenson: Effectively sealed his place on the team in November last year when he won the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai to become the first player to win the FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai in the same season. Has unsurprisingly struggled to reach the same heights in 2014 but was fourth in the US Open and third in the US PGA Championship, where he shared the lead on the back nine in the final round before a costly three-putt bogey on the 14th. Played in the record-equalling victory in 2006 but also Europe’s last defeat in 2008.

Mon Sept 22 2014 - 10:45

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