Bernhard Langer

LANGER PROFILE Age: 47 Country: Germany Ryder Cup caps: 1981, 1983, 1985 (winners), 1987 (w), 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995 (w), 1997 (w), 2002 (w) Personal record: Played 42 matches, won 21, halved 6 Points scoring ratio: 57%

European captain Bernhard Langer is a 10-time Ryder Cup veteran who commands the utmost respect for his professionalism and his integrity.

The 47-year-old German is a deeply religious and meticulous man but a fierce competitor on the course.

Langer has played 42 Ryder Cup matches, winning 21 and halving six since his debut in 1981.

He has been on five winning teams, and beat opposing captain Hal Sutton in the singles at The Belfry in 2002.

Langer, a two-time US Masters champion, made his Ryder Cup debut at Walton Heath in 1981 when the matches were still exclusively dominated by the Americans.

He was at the forefront of the momentum shift in transatlantic golf, and won three points out of five matches, including another victory over Sutton in the singles, when Europe broke through with their historic win in 1985.

But Langer will forever be haunted by a missed putt to keep the match alive on the final green at Kiawah Island in 1991.

Langer was ever present in the European side until 1999 when he was overlooked by skipper Mark James as a captain's pick for Brookline.

But he returned to forge a steely partnership with an in-form Colin Montgomerie at The Belfry in 2002, and won a total of three-and-a-half points out of four.

Langer was born in Anhausen, Germany, but is based in Boca Raton, Florida, and is married to Vikki, who is American. They have four children.

His experience of American golf, both courses and players, and his Ryder Cup apprenticeship under five different captains, will stand him in good stead at Oakland Hills.

Did you know? Bernhard Langer - along with Christy O'Connor Snr - trails only Nick Faldo in the number of Ryder Cup caps, having played in 10 events to Faldo's 11.