The 46-year-old Dublin-born is no stranger to the magic of the Ryder Cup, after he sunk the winning put for the Europeans at The Belfry in 2002, one of three times he played in the competition. 

The 2010 captain Colin Montgomerie had wanted take up the role for a second time in 2014, which was publicly slammed by world number one and one of Europe's 2012 Ryder Cup stars Rory McIlroy.

Montgomery was one of five candidates, along with McGinley and Sandy Lyle, Paul Lawrie and Miguel Angel Jiminez.

But the 15-man European Tour's Tournament Committee, led by chairman Thomas Bjorn, chose McGinley following a meeting in Abu Dhabi. 


McGinley replaces Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal, the inspiration behind Europe's remarkable comeback victory in Illinois last September.

He has twice been a vice-captain, to Montgomerie in Wales in 2010 and to Olazabal two years later.

"I am relishing the thought of taking on one of my great heroes - Tom Watson [the captain of the US team]," said McGinley.

"He is a wonderful person and a great ambassador for the game of golf.

"I never had the chance to go against him in the playing sense so to go up against him in a captaincy sense is a real thrill for me.

"This is a position that I'm really thrilled to be in, and it's also a very humbling experience."

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