Ireland's Paul McGinley has been appointed captain of Europe's Ryder Cup golf team for the biennial match against the United States next year.
The 46-year-old, who holed the winning putt in the 2002 match at The Belfry, edged former skipper Colin Montgomerie in a vote taken by the 15-man Players committee in Abu Dhabi.
McGinley replaces Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal, the inspiration behind Europe's remarkable comeback victory in Illinois in September.
The Irishman has twice been a vice-captain, to Montgomerie in Wales in 2010 and to Olazabal two years later.
He played in three Ryder Cups, from 2002-06, and was triumphant each time.
McGinley, the first Irish captain, will be up against eight-times major winner Tom Watson who skippers the USA at Gleneagles in Scotland in 2014.
