Chema Backs Garcia for Medinah

European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal expects fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia to be part of his team at Medinah next year.

Garcia played in five straight Ryder Cups from his debut in 1999 but that run ended last year when a slump meant he failed to make the line-up at  Celtic Manor.

Olazabal's predecessor, Colin Montgomerie, enlisted Garcia's services as a vice-captain as Europe regained the trophy in thrilling fashion.

Garcia's form has started to improve during 2011, including top-10 finishes at the US Open and Open during the summer.

"I am sure Sergio will be in the Ryder Cup, he's got a special charisma and a solid game," said Olazabal.

"His best motivation is to know what it feels like to be in the Ryder Cup without playing."

Positive

Garcia, down at 49th in the world rankings, is teeing it up this week at his home club for the European Tour's Castello Masters and is in upbeat mood.

"It's been a very positive year. There is still room for improvement but things are much better," said the 31-year-old.

"I'm feeling much more confident about my game now. What I'm feeling right now is very different to what I was feeling before.

"Last year I was here physically but not mentally. I tried hard but my mind wasn't where it needed to be."

On his Ryder Cup ambitions, the former world number two added: "The Ryder Cup is one of my goals. I want to make it.

"Everyone knows how special it is to me. As Jose Maria said, I know what it is like to be there without playing and I don't want to repeat the experience.

"Unless I go as captain I won't go back to the Ryder Cup if I'm not playing."

Olazabal Hoping to Emulate Seve

Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal says he only hopes to make former friend and mentor Seve Ballesteros proud when he leads Europe against the United States next year in Illinois.

Ballesteros, who captained Europe to Ryder Cup glory in 1997, died this year aged 54 following a brain tumour.

And Olazabal told US counterpart David Love at a press conference: "I know that your father passed away early.

"All I can hope for is that both of them will be proud of us."

Jose Maria Olazabal competed in seven Ryder Cups as a player between 1987 and 2006, winning 20.5 points

Europe will head to the Medinah Country Club next September looking to defend the trophy they narrowly won at Celtic Manor last year and attempting to make it five wins in six attempts against the Americans.

And Olazabal, who shares a long friendship with Love, is confident the event will be played in the right spirit.

The event has not been without its controversies down the years, with Brookline in 1999 and Kiawah Island in 1991 most notably seeing tensions rise between the two rivals.

"It is right to say that in the past we had some incidents, but those are in the past and I think we are moving in the right direction in that regard," said the Spaniard.

"The fact that every time now when the Ryder Cup is played whoever the winner is, it doesn't matter, both teams will get together and have a good time."