Torrance: 'Montgomerie should forget Olazabal'

Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie should back off in his attempt to make Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal his vice-captain, Sam Torrance said today.

Last week Olazabal refuted claims by Montgomerie that he had agreed to be vice-captain for the 2010 tournament against the US at Celtic Manor, Wales.

Torrance, who led Europe to victory in 2002, believes the Spaniard does not want the job since he was Nick Faldo's right-hand man during the team's defeat at Valhalla last year.

"You have to understand Ollie (Olazabal) has done his stint as vice captain and it is a huge learning experience for the captaincy, but he doesn't want to be the second-in-command anymore," Torrance told a news conference today.

Olazabal is a strong favourite to be appointed captain for the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinha, Illinois.

While he would not predict who Montgomerie might choose, Torrance wrote off Sandy Lyle's chances of getting the job because the 50-year-old twice major champion is out of touch with the main European Tour players.

"I'm sorry for Sandy but I don't think he is the right man now," said the 55-year-old Torrance, who was preparing to participate in his 705th European Tour event at the Portuguese Open.

"Great players sometimes don't get the captaincy. Peter Alliss and Peter Oosterhuis are prime examples."