Thomas Bjorn: Europe’s new Ryder Cup captain says young talent will fuel team growth
Thomas Bjorn has praised the breadth of Europe's young talent after being named captain for the 2018 Ryder Cup.
The 45-year-old Dane, only the fourth man from outside the British Isles to lead the team, said a crop of rising stars could reclaim the Ryder Cup after Europe fell to their first defeat since 2008 this summer.
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Europe's team in Hazeltine featured six Ryder Cup debutants in their 20s and Bjorn is backing the new generation to form the core of his squad.
"We needed this transition period in '16 to get some of those guys through and there's more coming behind them as well," said Bjorn.
"There's a lot of guys that missed out that are still young and have the talent and could very easily make the team.
"The European team will grow in strength from the bottom up and that's always a good thing. It will be a hard fought battle to make this team that's for sure."
Bjorn won the Ryder Cup as a player in 1997, 2002 and 2014 and has been vice captain on four occasions.
Chosen for the role by a five-man panel that included the three most recent Ryder Cup captains, Bjorn's golfing resume also includes 15 European Tour titles and the chairmanship of its Tournament Committee.
The next Ryder Cup will be held in continental Europe for only the second time when Le Golf National in the southwest suburbs of Paris plays host in September 2018.