A look at the 20 players lining up in this week's Seve Trophy between GB & Ireland and Continental Europe.
A look at the 20 players lining up in this week's Seve Trophy at St Nom La Breteche in Paris, France:
Great Britain and Ireland
Darren Clarke: This is Clarke's first appearance in the Seve Trophy since 2002 but skipper Paul McGinley will be thrilled to have him on board for a host of reasons. Clarke, of course, is the current Open champion after his superb win at Royal St George's, he'll be able to pass on his vast experience to the four debutants on the team and he has a superb record at matchplay, especially in Ryder Cups.
Jamie Donaldson: The 35-year-old Welshman is still seeking his first win on the European Tour but he's became a regular name on leaderboards in the last few years. Finished third in the recent European Masters in Switzerland, his sixth top 10 of the season, and that helped him climb up to 33rd in the Race To Dubai standings.
Simon Dyson: An excellent locker room presence with his upbeat nature, the Yorkshireman is also one of the Tour's hottest players. He posted victory in the Irish Open a week after his ninth place in The Open at Royal St George's and last weekend won the KLM Open in the Netherlands to move into the top 30 in the world rankings for the first time. Has five wins from nine matches in this event.
Ross Fisher: Won two, lost two and halved one on his Seve Trophy debut at this same course in 2009 and later that year went on to win the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain. Hasn't really hit the heights this year although a 15th place at Augusta has helped put him inside the top 50 in the Race To Dubai. Was part of Europe's 2010 winning Ryder Cup team so has good experience.
Mark Foster: 'Foz' - a two-time English Amateur champ - has won just once on the European Tour and that way back at the 2003 Dunhill Championship in South Africa. However, the 36-year-old is enjoying his most lucrative season ever after second places at the French Open (lost by a shot) and Scottish Open (lost in a five-man play-off).
David Horsey: One of seven Englishmen on the team, Horsey should relish this first crack at a Seve trophy having thrived on the 2007 GB & Ireland Walker Cup team which included Rory McIlroy. Horsey won three points out of four at Royal County Down and twice beat Webb Simpson in the singles! Has posted a European Tour win in each of the last two years.
Scott Jamieson: With three third places and two other top sixes, Jamieson has had an excellent year. The 27-year-old Glaswegian sits a healthy 39th in the Race To Dubai standings although he's struggled for form in recent times with three missed cuts in his last three starts.
Ian Poulter: Poulter absolutely loves head-to-head combat and his matchplay record is simply superb. He won the WGC-Accenture Match Play event last year and back in May he triumphed in the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain. Add in his heroics in Ryder Cups and he'll be one of McGinley's key men even though his recent strokeplay form has been modest.
Robert Rock: Won the final three of his five matches in this event in 2009, a season which saw him finish runner-up three times on the European Tour. Made the big breakthrough with a first Euro success at the Italian Open in June and sits 30th in the Race To Dubai after a top 25 in Holland last time out. Easy to spot as he doesn't wear a hat.
Lee Westwood: Surprisingly, this is just Westwood's fourth appearance in the event and first since 2003. However, he has a proud record to maintain having won 10 of his 14 matches in those early runnings of the event. The current world number two has since excelled in numerous Ryder Cups and will be an excellent mentor for the debutants in his team.
Continental Europe
Thomas Bjorn: After thinking about packing the game in, the Dane has enjoyed an incredible season. He won the Qatar Masters in February, made a brave title bid in The Open at Royal St. George's in July and has just scored back-to-back European Tour victories by landing the Johnnie Walker Championship and the Omega European Masters. Took part in the first five Seve Trophys as a player before captaining Continental Europe in 2009.
Nicolas Colsaerts: The big-hitting Belgian has had an excellent season with a first European Tour win (the Volvo China Open) and two third places, one coming at the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain. Missed nearly two months after injuring his elbow when falling off a scooter just before The Open but made the cut on his return in Holland last week.
Anders Hansen: The Dane has only played in this event once but did well at this venue two years ago with three wins out of five. Produced his best ever performance in a major when third in the USPGA at Atlanta Athletic Club recently and four other top threes, including two second places, see him sit sixth in the Race To Dubai standings.
Peter Hanson: With two thumping singles wins in the last two Royal Trophys and an unbeaten singles record in three starts in this event the Swede, who played on Europe's winning Ryder Cup team last year, is a proven performer in matchplay. Another consistent season has included a seventh place in the US Open.
Miguel Angel Jimenez: The only man to have played in every Seve Trophy since the event started in 2000. Although he's won just 10 of his 28 matches he did bank three wins out of five at this venue in 2009 and also showed his liking for France with victory at future Ryder Cup venue Le Golf National in the 2010 French Open. Twice a runner-up this season and ninth in Switzerland on last start.
Pablo Larrazabal: The Spaniard scored his first European Tour in Paris (the 2008 French Open) so likes this part of the world while he bagged his second at the BMW International Open in Munich this June after defeating Sergio Garcia in a play-off. This is his Seve Trophy debut but he did represent Europe in the 2009 Royal Trophy (although lost all three matches).
Matteo Manassero: Became the youngest player to win a European Tour event when landing the Castello Masters Costa Azahar in Valencia last October while he added a second win, also aged 17, at this year's Maybank Malaysian Open. The youngest ever winnner of British Amateur Championship also played in this year's Royal Trophy but managed just one win out of three.
Francesco Molinari: Finished 2010 off in style by helping Europe win the Ryder Cup before landing the WGC-HSBC Champions in China. Has come back down to earth a little in 2011 but still sits in the top 20 in the Race To Dubai standings and won three of his five matches when making his Seve Trophy debut here in 2009. Second on the Euro Tour's Driving Accuracy stats.
Alex Noren: The Swede loved the team atmosphere at last year's Royal Trophy and responded by winning two points out of three alongside compatriot Robert Karlsson to help Europe claim victory. Enjoying the best season of his career after recent wins in the Wales Open at Celtic Manor and the Nordea Masters, by seven shots, in his native Sweden. 10th in the Race to Dubai.
Raphael Jacquelin: A late call-up after the injury to Alvaro Quiros, skipper Jean van de Velde will be delighted to have another Frenchman in the camp to help get the Paris crowd onside. Jacquelin is in good nick this season with a win at the Sicilian Open - this third Euro Tour success - and a best ever major finish (8th) in The Open at Royal St. George's.
