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Bernhard Langer To Be The European's Captain For The 2004 Ryder Cup At Oakland Hills Contact Mitchell Platts (July 24, 2003) - Bernhard Langer of Germany today accepted an invitation from The Ryder Cup Board, following a meeting of the Tournament Committee of The European Tour, to be the Captain of the European Team for The 35th Ryder Cup Matches to be played at Oakland Hills Country Club, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, United States, from 17-19 September, 2004. Langer, aged 45, succeeds Scotland's Sam Torrance, who led Europe to a 15 1/2 - 12 1/2 victory over the United States at The De Vere Belfry last September. He becomes the 19th golfer to Captain a European Ryder Cup Team against the United States, the second from Continental Europe following Severiano Ballesteros of Spain in 1997, and the first from Germany to be accorded the honour. "It's a fabulous honour to be named European Captain," said Langer. "I've never made a secret of how much I enjoy being part of Tthe Ryder Cup, and to be the Captain makes me feel very proud, especially as the first German golfer to hold this prestigious role. "It has been an enlightening experience to play under five Ryder Cup Captains in John Jacobs, Tony Jacklin, Bernard Gallacher, Seve Ballesteros and Sam Torrance. They are all very different in their own way and, hopefully, I can take a little of what I have learned from all of them to live up to the very high standards they set in the 24 years since The Ryder Cup was opened up to Continental Europe as well as Great Britain and Ireland." Langer, who has a home in Anhausen his native Germany and Boca Raton, Florida, spends most of his time at his United StatesS residence with his American wife, Vikki, and four children, Jackie, Stefan, Christina and Jason. An Honorary Member of The European Tour in recognition of his two Masters Tournament victories in 1985 and 1993 and more recently inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, Langer added: "I am looking forward to the challenge of captaining Tthe European Team in the United States. Vikki, my wife, is American and we have made our home in the United States, so I believe I have a solid appreciation of what it will take to be Tthe European Captain at Oakland Hills Country Club. Langer, whose Czech-born father settled in Bavaria after jumping of Russian prisoner-of-war train bound for Sibera, took up the game at the age of seven and turned professional 11 years later. He first came to prominence by claiming the 1979 Cacharel Under-25 Championship by an astonishing 17 strokes, an achievement which hinted at a huge potential waiting to be tapped. The first of his 42 victories on The European Tour came in 1980 when he won the Dunlop (now British) Masters title and made his Ryder Cup debut at Walton Heath the following season - a year in which he won the Volvo Order of Merit. He became Germany's first Major Champion in 1985 when he captured the Masters Tournament at Augusta National and repeated the achievement eight years later. However he has been a towering figure in his ten Ryder Cup appearances and added: "The Ryder Cup has given me many outstanding memories over the past two decades and more, from the first time I teed-up alongside Manuel Pinero at Walton Heath in 1981 through to my last singles match at The De Vere Belfry against, coincidentally, Hal Sutton, my opposing American Captain next September. I was fortunate enough to beat Hal that day and perhaps that is a good omen for next year's Matches!" Langer played in five successful Ryder Cup Teams (1985, 1987, 1995, 1997, 2002) and won exactly 50 per cent of his 42 ties, halving six and losing 15. He was part of Jacklin's successful side which regained The Ryder Cup in 1985 after an absence of 28 years and two years later, played a key role in helping Europe win the trophy on American soil for the first time. A passionate and committed supporter of the European cause, Langer also played a significant his part in the victories in 1995 and 1997, 1997 but did not manage to qualify for the 1999 defeat at Brookline Country Club. However Langer responded in typical dogmatic fashion, sealing automatic selection with a victory in the Dutch Open in 2001, shortly before the 12-month postponement of The 34th Ryder Cup Matches at The De Vere Belfry.and he won 31/2 points from a possible 4 at The De Vere Belfry when Europe regained The Ryder Cup following an outstanding Match. He continued: "It's a challenge, as well as a great responsibility to be Europe's Captain and it makes it extra special to be the first person from Germany to lead the Team. As someone who has played for many years on the US PGA Tour, I know Hal Sutton extremely well and I know that we both have a great respect for the traditions of the game and The Ryder Cup as a sporting contest. We look forward to another close and exciting match at Oakland Hills". |