I want to captain Europe in 2016: Jimenez

The two-time vice-captain has played in four Ryder Cups

HONG KONG: Ryder Cup veteran Miguel Angel Jimenez says he would ‘love’ to captain the European side and is throwing his hat in the ring for the next showdown in 2016.

The two-time vice-captain was one of Paul McGinley's deputies in Europe's 16 1/2 to 11 1/2 victory over the Americans at Gleneagles in Scotland last month.

Jimenez, 50, was also vice-captain to late Spanish great Seve Ballesteros in 1997 and has played in four Ryder Cups — finishing on the winning side twice.

The Spaniard, who is the oldest winner on the European Tour, now wants to step up and lead Europe's finest golfers to a fourth consecutive triumph in two years' time.

"I would love to be captain,” said Jimenez in an interview before this week’s Hong Kong Open. “That is something that every player who competes in the Ryder Cup wants to do.

The next edition of the biennial team showpiece takes place at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minnesota, and Jimenez sent a message to selectors that he was ready to take the reins.

"I will put my name out there and hope the committee decides that it's going to be myself," he said.

Jimenez must convince a panel of five, including three previous European captains – McGinley, Jose Maria Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie – that he is the man for the job.

The panel, which also includes England's David Howell and Chief Executive of the European Tour George O'Grady, is expected to make its decision early next year.

Europe have won eight of the last ten Ryder Cups with vice-captains often going on to lead the team — something Jimenez thinks works in his favour, along with the fact he still competes with the continent's top players.

 

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