Sept 15 (Reuters) – Sweden’s Henrik Stenson will be the fifth and final vice captain for Team Europe at next week’s Ryder Cup, captain Padraig Harrington said on Wednesday.

The 2016 Open champion has played in the Ryder Cup, a biennial team competition between the United States and Europe, five times and won on three occasions. He will feature as part of the backroom team for the first time.

Stenson, 45, will join compatriot Robert Karlsson, England’s Luke Donald, Martin Kaymer of Germany and Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland in the role, with the quintet having played in 19 Ryder Cups and scored 40 points between them.

“He knows what it takes to win a Ryder Cup and that experience and knowledge will be crucial for us,” Harrington told the competition’s website.

Stenson, who has won 11 points for Europe from 19 matches, said it was a “great honour” to get the call from Harrington.

“I’ve been part of five Ryder Cup teams in the past and to be given the opportunity as a vice captain to help Europe’s quest to retain the Ryder Cup is exciting,” Stenson said.

“We have a very strong team. It’s a mix of huge experience along with three guys who will take on their first Ryder Cup – and that’s a great combination.”

The Ryder Cup, postponed last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be played from Sept. 24-26 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. Europe are defending champions after a seven-point rout at Le Golf National near Paris in 2018.

Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar

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