Sky Sports - Ryder Cup

Jimenez got his first taste of Ryder Cup action as one of Seve Ballesteros' vice-captains at Valderrama in 1997 and the experience galvanised him into securing his playing debut at Brookline two years later. There the Spaniard put in an impressive showing teaming up with Padraig Harrington and Jose Maria Olazabal to take two points from the four matches he played over the first two days. He was to lose his singles encounter to Steve Pate as Europe fell to a painful defeat, but made amends in 2004 at Oak Hill as he formed part of the European team that recorded a record 18½-9½ triumph. On an individual level Jimenez did not enjoy the most productive match with just a solitary point from four outings, part of the reason his win record now stands at just 0.33. However, the 44-year-old has looked a certainty for the 2008 team for some time now after a hugely consistent season. He has amassed seven top-10 finishes, two of them resulting in victory including the European Tour's flagship event - the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. The popular Spaniard also has a wealth of match play experience garnered from five appearances in the Seve Trophy. Jimenez might be known for his affable temperament and love of a joke, but under the laid-back facade lies a fierce competitor with a steely will to win.