The decision makers who will shape

the Ryder Cup's D-Day

Today the European Tour's Tournament Committee meet in Dubai to decide who will be invited to captain the Europe team in the 2010 Ryder Cup match at Celtic Manor. The following article is from the guardian.online website (www.guardian.co.uk) and staff golf writer Lawrence Donegan paints thumbnail sketches of the men who make up the committee:

Thomas Bjorn
The Dane, a former Ryder Cup player, is the chairman of the tournament players committee and will have the task of finding unanimity where there might be none
Darren Clarke
The Irishman will be determined to get to Wales as a player. He and Colin Montgomerie are not close, but then again Ryder Cup camaraderie cures all enmities (just ask Padraig and Sergio). Then again, perhaps not
Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño
The talented young Spaniard represents the long under-represented continental branch of the European tour. He might be inclined to push the claims of someone like Miguel Angel Jiménez for 2010 and he will be sorely disappointed.
Richard Finch
The voice of the tour's journeymen. Popular and thoughtful.
Joakim Haeggman
One of four Swedes on the tournament players committee, he has had experience of the Ryder Cup as a player and as a vice-captain. With the event expected to take place in Scandinavia in 2018, he might fancy his chances of one day landing the big job
Christopher Hanell
An America-based Swede and another rank-and-file voice. Will not be in Dubai but has registered his preference
Raphaël Jacquelin
Like other committee members from continental Europe, the Frenchman might spend a few minutes today wondering how it is that the Brits are always first in the queue when the Ryder Cup captaincy comes around
Miguel Angel Jiménez
The Spaniard would be less than human if he didn't spend a few moments during today's meeting wondering why his name has not been seriously discussed
Robert Karlsson
Likely to be one of the leading players for the 2010 event and as such his opinion will carry some weight
Barry Lane
A veteran of the European tour and, like Finch, can be expected to represent the rank and file
Paul Lawrie
The former Open champion is quietly being pushed as a potential captain when the Ryder Cup goes to Scotland in 2014 should Montgomerie take the reins this time around
Paul McGinley
The Irishman is rumoured to be the most forceful voice behind the 'Monty for 2010' campaign
Colin Montgomerie
The chairman and, it seems, only remaining member of the 'Sandy Lyle for 2010' campaign. When the white smoke clears expect to see Monty's silhouette appear
Mark Roe
A former European tour player and now television and radio commentator. Roe has never been short of opinions throughout his career and is unlikely to be found wanting now. Will not be in Dubai but has registered his preference
Henrik Stenson
The Swede is possessed of both a great sense of humour and a well-developed sense of perspective, which might explain why he appears to find the angst surrounding the whole captaincy business to be quite amusing