Captain, My Ryder Cup Captain!

Captain, my Captain. Yes, it is a line from Walt Whitman's poem following the murder of President Abraham Lincoln and one used to great effect in the Robin Williams film, "Dead Poet's Society."

But it is also a line that the cream of European golf can use as they look ahead to the next three or even four Ryder Cups, because the Europeans have Ryder Cup captains pouring out of the locker room.

Just look at the assistants winning captain Colin Montgomerie used so wisely. Jose Maria Olazabal is already favourite to lead Europe in their defence of the Cup at Medina, Chicago in two years' time, and what a captain he should be with his proven record and love for the Ryder Cup. Throw in his partnership with the incomparable Seve Ballesteros - and that impromptu Spanish jig - and it is evident that Europe will be in safe hands.

Paul McGinley is another golfer with the Ryder Cup running through his veins and, indeed, the waters of the Belfry after his famous dive following his winning putt. It was Darren Clarke's Ryder Cup when Europe stormed to an emotional victory in 2006 at the K Club and his partnership with Lee Westwood was one of the most formidable in recent times.

Thomas Bjorn may well become the first Scandanavian to lead Europe in the Ryder Cup and by then, the fifth assistant, Sergio Garcia, could be in the running. Throw in Westwood, of course, and not forgetting the inimitable Miguel Angel Jiminez and maybe, just maybe the tub-thumping Ian Poulter in ten Cup's time, and the European captaincy conveyor belt is in very fine shape indeed.