Captain Ollie Adds Mechanic To Team Europe's Elite Cart Driving Squad

Miguel Angel "The Mechanic" Jimenez hopes to have an extra large ashtray in his six-seat Club Car as he whizzes around Medinah next month looking important.

From the wires and posted on GolfChannel.com, a confident sounding Team Europe Lead Driver Jose Maria Olazabal:

“Miguel’s announcement means that I now have four world-class golfers as my vice captains – all with tremendous experience of playing in the Ryder Cup which is absolutely invaluable," Olazabal said in a statement.

Now, if The Mechanic would just lead the European squad in a pre-round team driving range warm-up session, we'd be in for a fun week.

Comments

[carnaptious and camsteerie]

Well, the european locker room sure won't be a dull place to be. I anticipate a few american defections!

[Ivan Morris]

Pity he isn't playing.....................he'd be the perfect partner for Sergio.

[WAGs]

That's who he should lead in a stretching routine. Hot yoga with The Mechanic.

[ol Harv]

Remember when the Captain just set up the menu and drove into town while the players were on the course to pick up the liquor? How many assistants do the teams need? Give it 8 more years and each player will have his own assistant assigned to him. Absolutely ridiculous. Love The Mechanic though.

[Ghost of Perry Maxwell]

RIdicolous I say.

[Ghillie]

Who's doing the costumes for the European team and WAGs? MAJ was sporting an exciting new female (whatever happened to Montserrat?) at the last Ryder Cup -- perhaps she has been quietly helping JMO.

[BrianS]

I wonder how many player Jiminez has pettty grudges and disputes with ? Seems like between Ollie and Sergio they already have their share.

[John C]

"Uh, what should I do coach?"

"Make that putt!"

[johnnnycz]

He should be playing imo....but at least he'll be there helping the cause.

Ollie needs a veteran for a wildcard, someone who's been there before. Paddy's OUT after going 75-75...which leaves the former captain Monty as a possibility...he also happens to be playing quite nicely this week.

It would be sort of like when Floyd was a captain's pick at at 45ish or was it 47ish?....I say send Monty out in the 4-balls only and 1st match out in the singles and there's 1.5 to 2 points right there.

[Buffett]

What would happen if there was no captain and the players decided everything themselves? Sort of like pick-up teams in the school yard in the days of old.

[Buffett]

Updated thought. Would not the use of drones eliminate the need for vice-captains?

[Hawkeye]

Monty as a pick? Wishful thinking by you Americans! Experience in Ryder Cup is somewhat overrated, IMO. It seems as if lesser players are more likely to see a crucial Ryder Cup match as the chance of a lifetime, as opposed to a big star who might feel the pressure of being expected to deliver. In a brief run-through of European "heroes" who have scored vital points on Sunday we find Eamonn Darcy in ´87 (had never won a match prior to his dusting of Crenshaw), Christy O'Connor Jr in ´89 (was playing in his first cup since ´75), plus rookies like Philip Walton, Paul McGinley and Philip Price. On the other side of the coin, we have Seve topping his second into the water at the Belfry in ´89 or Langer missing that five-footer in ´91.

[johnnnycz]

Hawkeye...I'm Canadian and Czech by the way...or rather a Czech-A-Nadian.

And yes...Monty would be much more useful being a captain's pick than almost ANY of the younger players and RC rookies. He's not going to be spooked by all the emotion and other peripheral stuff since he's practically heard and seen every insult/barb imaginable...just sayin'.

Now if there was one more wildcard pick...that young Thornbjorn Oleson looks solid and appears to play without any fear...I'd pick a rookie like him and hope he contributes SOMEthing...much like Fowler was gifted a spot last time around, failed to win a match and yet people remember him for being a bright spot for the USA....go figure.

[Hawkeye]

Sorry for calling you an American, Johnnycz! I studied at UBC, so I know what a Canuck feels about being called a Yank! ;)

Olesen is a great prospect and likely a future Ryder Cupper, but this year might be too soon. No, Colsaerts is the one alongside Poulter. He's had a solid season, hits it long (great for Medinah's Par 5s in fourball) and won the Volvo Match-Play earlier this year. I would say it's a lock.

[digsouth]

3 nnn's----Jak se mas, eh?

[JP]

HAWKEYE Eamonn Darcy, what a visual I just got. That guy was classic and possibly the worst looking swing in the history of golf but I loved watching the guy. A real character that you just don't find any more in the modern game.