Gallacher Plays Aces: Faldo, Olazabal

Europe added the experience of Nick Faldo and Jose Maria Olazabal to its Ryder Cup challenge Monday.

They were selected as wild cards by European captain Bernard Gallacher, who vowed to beat the United States next month in Rochester, N.Y., and bring back the coveted golfing prize.

“The last two times, we have had one hand on the Ryder Cup,” Gallacher said. “In three weeks time we aim to have both hands on it.”

The United States has won the last two biennial competitions and British oddsmakers have already installed the Americans as favorites to win again on Sept. 22-24 at the Oak Hill Country Club.

Gallacher’s first 10 places went automatically to the top point-getters on the PGA European Tour at the close of Sunday’s German Open--Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie and Sam Torrance, Spain’s Seve Ballesteros, Costantino Rocca of Italy, Bernhard Langer of Germany, Howard Clark, Mark James and David Gilford of England, plus Ryder Cup newcomers Per-Ulrik Johansson of Sweden and Ireland’s Philip Walton.

Faldo will be making his 10th consecutive Ryder Cup appearance, matching the record held by Christy O’Connor Jr., and Gallacher decided Olazabal’s ailing right foot was OK after top 10 finishes in his last two tournaments in the United States.