Intro:

Darren Clarke was announced as the 2016 European Ryder Cup captain at Wentworth

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SOUNDBITE: (English) Scott Crockett, European Tour media communications director

"Eighteen months ago the European Tour's Tournament Committee decided upon a change on the way our captain was selected for the Ryder Cup. Their wish for a five-man panel, comprising of the three immediate past captains, the chief executive of the European Tour and one nominated representative of the Tournament Committee itself would be charged with making the collective responsibility of making that selection. That panel met here for the first time at Wentworth today and they've reached a decision. Therefore we are delighted to announce that the European captain for the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota is Darren Clarke. Darren will be the first Northern Irishman to captain Europe in the biennial contest against the United States and he comes to the role with a superb Ryder Cup pedigree. Having made his debut at Valderamma in 1997, Darren has played in five Ryder Cups, been on the winning side on four occasions. He also took on the role of vice-captain during two further Ryder Cup triumphs at Celtic Manor in 2010 and at Medinah in 2012. It goes without saying that everyone at Ryder Cup Europe congratulates Darren on his appointment today and wishes him every good fortune over the next eighteen months, as we build up to what I am sure will be another enthralling encounter at Hazeltine."