Langer a popular choice for Ryder role
This is perfectly understandable, given the German's immense contribution to the European Ryder Cup cause, and his outstanding record of achievement and sportsmanship over the years. Few players command greater respect, and it can be taken for granted that every player who qualifies for the European side will fight till they drop for their captain.
However, the great concern has to be that Langer would be even more valuable to the cause as a playing member of the team.
Although he will be 47 since the previous August when the 2004 match takes place, he will still be a formidable performer and, if used sparingly, would be a good bet to provide plenty of points.
After all, he was an inspirational member of the side that regained the trophy at The Belfry last September, when he picked up two-and-a-half points from a possible three in his foursomes/fourball partnership with Colin Montgomerie, and then hammered Hal Sutton (who coincidentally will be his opposing captain at Oakland Hills) by four and three in the singles.
Padraig Harrington, who is likely to be a key member of the European side, warmly welcomed Langer's appointment.
"I have nothing but the utmost respect for Bernhard and I believe he will make a wonderful captain," said the Irishman.
"He will give it everything and was the only choice for a match in America. He is very popular over there, plays their circuit regularly and knows the atmosphere better than anyone. He is a very bright and intelligent man and I for one would love to play under him, to see at first hand how he will go about the job. One thing is sure, he won't say the wrong thing. Of course there is a point that he could also do a great job as a team member, but I have to say I fully approve of the move."
Langer himself has no reservations. "It's a fabulous honour to be named Ryder Cup captain," he said. "I've never made any secret of how much I enjoy being part of the Ryder Cup, and to be the captain makes me feel very proud, especially as the first German 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 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."
Langer first played in the matches in '81 and played every time from then until '97. He missed out in '99 but came back in triumph last September. He now becomes the 19th golfer to captain a European team.
The honorary member of the European Tour and recent inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame added: "I am looking forward to the challenge of captaining the team in the US. My wife, Vikki, is American and we have made our home there. As someone who has played for many years on the US Tour, I know Hal Sutton extremely well. I know we both have great respect for the traditions of the game and the Ryder Cup as a sporting contest."
Langer has won 48 times on the European Tour and has been a towering figure in five successful Ryder Cup teams ('85, '87, '95, '97, '02). He won exactly 50% of his matches, halving six and losing fifteen.
His two predecessors in the job, Mark James and Sam Torrance, strongly approve of Langer's appointment. "He was the obvious choice because of his connections in America, and he will bring to the captaincy all the qualities he has shown on the European Tour gritty determination to get the job done and always searching for perfection," James said.
Torrance added: "I thought it would be him. That was the whisper and he is the best man anyway. He is highly rated by the players and is still one of them.
I wonder who his vice captain will be."
He will surely be a great captain, win or lose.
We can only hope that his influence as a player will not be sorely missed.
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