Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal
has been named as the wild card selection in the Continental Europe team to play
Britain and Ireland in the inaugural Seve Ballesteros Trophy at Sunningdale next
month.
Ballesteros will captain
the team that also includes Thomas Bjorn, Alex Cejka, Sergio Garcia, Miguel Angel
Jimenez, Bernhard Langer, Jarmo Sandelin and Jean Van de Velde.
Olazabal said he was delighted
to be chosen by his friend Ballesteros, the former European Ryder Cup captain.
"I am thrilled that
Seve has chosen me, especially because I will again be part of a team with him
and we will have the chance of playing together again," said Olazabal.
"I have very good memories
of the many times that we have been team-mates and the matches we played together
in the Ryder Cup."
Representing Britain and
Ireland will be captain Colin Montgomerie, John Bickerton, Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington, David Howell, Paul Lawrie, Gary Orr and Lee Westwood.
Mark James, captain of Europe's
Ryder Cup team last September, has turned down the chance to play for Colin Montgomerie's
Britain and Ireland side against the Continent of Europe at Sunningdale on April
14-16.
James has not played on
the European tour so far this season and the first tournament he has entered
for is the Spanish Open two weeks after the new Seve Ballesteros Trophy match.
His decision let in David Howell.
Montgomerie has still to
make his wild card selection and both sides will also add a player off the European
Order of Merit on April 9.
A total of 26 points will
be at stake through a series of foursomes, fourballs, greensomes and singles,
with each member of the winning team receiving about £92,000 and the losers around
£55,000.
The new event, which will
be staged by the European Tour, will take place every two years.
