Jose Maria Olazabal has been an integral part of the European Ryder Cup team since making his debut in 1987 so it comes as no surprise that he will captain the side against the United States in Medinah in 2012
The Spaniard begins his Ryder Cup career by partnering compatriot Seve Ballesteros to three wins out of four on his debut at Muirfield Village, Ohio and the greatest pairing in the event's history is born
Olazabal loses to the late Payne Stewart in his singles match but Europe record a 15-13 victory to retain the Ryder Cup and win on American soil for the first time in the then 60-year history of the biennial tournament
In 1989 at the Belfry, Ollie and Seve win three matches and halve a fourth before Olazabal gains revenge on Stewart in the singles to finish as Europe's top points scorer and a 14-14 tie means they retain the Ryder Cup
Olazabal earns another three-and-a-half points with Ballesteros at Kiawah Island in 1991 but the US win a tempestuous Ryder Cup, dubbed the "War on the Shore", to regain the trophy for the first time in eight years
The Ollie and Seve partnership ends with two more wins at the Belfry in 1993 and their total of 12 points from 15 matches is double that of the next best pairing - but the US retain the trophy
Away from the Ryder Cup, Olazabal twice wins the Masters at Augusta. The first, in 1994, is by two shots from Tom Lehman; the second, in 1999, by the same margin over Davis Love
Olazabal misses the 1995 Ryder Cup as the arthritis that will blight the rest of his career kicks in but returns two years later to play on home soil at Valderrama, the first home Ryder Cup to be held outside England or Scotland
Olazabal (second from right) is joined by compatriot Ignacio Garrido at Valderrama in a team led by Ballesteros and two Spanish vice-captains. Fittingly, Seve captains the side to victory with Ollie collecting two-and-a-half points
The US win at Brookline in 1999 when Justin Leonard comes from four-down with seven to play to go one up on Olazabal on the 17th. The Americans celebrate on the green but Ollie shows tremendous nerve to win the 18th
Olazabal misses out on a wildcard for the 2002 and 2004 Ryder Cups but qualifies outright, at the age of 40, for the 2006 event at the K Club in Ireland which Europe win by a record 18½-9½ point margin
Playing with Sergio Garcia, both fourballs are won before he signs off with a singles win over Phil Mickelson and a 100% record in his final event. His Ryder Cup total of 20½ points puts him fifth on the all-time list
The man who tops Europe's Ryder Cup points list, Sir Nick Faldo, recruits Olazabal as a vice-captain for the 2008 tournament in Valhalla but they fail to inspire their side to victory, going down 16½-11½
Olazabal returns to assist Colin Montgomerie at Celtic Manor in 2010 and, along with four other vice-captains, helps Europe regain the Ryder Cup with a thrilling 14½-13½ victory
The 2012 Ryder Cup will be the 10th that Olazabal is involved in. As a player, his record reads, played 31, won 18, halved five and lost eight. Will he be able to inspire Europe to a first win on American soil since 2004?
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