José Maria Olazábal has accepted an invitation from the Tournament Committee of The European Tour, ratified by The European Ryder Cup Players and Stakeholders Board, to captain the European team in The 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club, Medinah, Illinois, United States of America, from September 28-30, 2012.

Olazábal, who was born in Fuenterrabia, Spain, on February 5, 1966, becomes the 23^rd golfer to captain a Ryder Cup team against the United States and the second Spaniard following Seve Ballesteros, the winning captain in 1997 when Europe triumphed 14 ½ - 13 ½ at Club de Golf Valderrama, Sotogrande, Spain.

After four days of pure action, it was the slightest of margins that decided who would get their hands on the trophy. Will this edition of the Ryder Cup go down into history books as the greatest ever? Quite possibly, but there is one thing that can be said with certainty: there was nothing more that one could have demanded from the last four days.

The drama and entertainment was so engrossing that even a television viewer would feel the fatigue at the end of it. And the credit must go to the Americans for taking the result down to the final fixture, despite coming into the singles trailing 9.5-6.5. But, in the end, the preparation and planning of Colin Montgomerie saw Europe regain the Cup.

The Ryder Cup will see a Monday finish after all, with the rain lashing Celtic Manor yet again on Sunday and delaying the start of play till past noon. Not once in its 83-year history has the Ryder Cup needed a 4th day, but considering just how entertaining this edition of the Cup has proven to be, another day's play can only be a good thing.

Two days of twists and turns had left both sides finely poised. The Americans may have led the score 6-4, but the Europeans had obliterated their opponents in the partial third session that had been played on Saturday, leading all four fourballs and the two foursomes. But they knew they couldn't take anything for granted: at the previous rain delay they had led the Americans comfortably in the first fourball session, only to lose that session 2.5-1.5 when play resumed.

After digesting some 177 holes of complete action-packed golfing today, one must ask himself this question: how much more enthralling can the Ryder Cup get? After a near-washout on Friday, the huge crowd that turned up saw a total of ten points decided, and a portion of the third session played. And not for a moment could you take your eyes off the course, with the advantage shifting from one side to the other every other moment.

The day's play began with the continuation of yesterday's fourballs, and the Graeme McDowell-Rory McIlroy pair made the first move. Trailing by two holes overnight to Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar, McIlroy's birdie on the 13th left them just one behind. Meanwhile, Luke Donald was almost singlehandedly keeping the final tie alive, with Padraig Harrington failing miserably to justify receiving one of Colin Montgomerie's captain's picks. Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton threatened to pull away on a number of occasions, Overton in particular, and their persistence finally paid off on the 12th hole when the rookie put the duo 3-Up.