Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen has gone from Thomas Bjorn’s buggy driver at Hazeltine to being one of the Ryder Cup captain’s rookies in the space of two years.
The 28-year-old has a close friendship with his fellow Dane and, partly as a result, he was invited to the 2016 event in America where he shadowed Bjorn, then a vice-captain.
It gave him important first-hand experience of what the Ryder Cup is about and means he will not go into the event at Le Golf National totally blind.
“First of all, it’s the toughest job I’ve ever had, for sure. Driving Thomas’s buggy was difficult. He was very demanding, so I was running around,” said Olesen.
“I definitely had to go into the clubhouse to get coffees more than a few times and it was really difficult to get from the course into the clubhouse, especially in a European cart.
“It didn’t make it easier to drive back and forth, and with quite a lot of people, also.
“It was a great experience for me, seeing behind the scenes, seeing what the captains do, vice-captains, realise how tough of a job they actually have to pick the teams.
“Standing on the first tee, seeing all that, I think is a good experience, and I think it can only help me for this week.”
Despite his inside-the-ropes access, Olesen admits nothing can properly prepare him for actually playing in the event.
“I think when you get on the first tee you always have that little bit of nerves and I think that’s a good feeling to have,” he added.
“Every tournament you tee it up in the first round on the first hole, I always get that nerve.
“I’m sure it’s going to be very different this week, but, like I said, I enjoy being nervous. I think that’s a great feeling.”
Warming up @Thorbjornolesen 👋🏻#TeamEurope pic.twitter.com/irXYxKQ3NJ
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) September 26, 2018
Olsen secured his automatic place at the Made in Denmark event, the final qualifying tournament, having won the Italian Open and had five other top 10 finishes on the European Tour.
It ensured Bjorn avoided having to make a difficult decision about whether to select his friend and protege as a wildcard.
“Ever since I got on the European Tour Thomas sort of took me under his wing and was a little bit of a mentor for me” added Olesen.
“We got really close friends and have done a lot of different stuff together, spent a lot of time off the golf course, not about golf.
“So obviously two years ago when he got an announced captain it was definitely a big goal for me to try to achieve this and be a part of this team.
“I’m really proud of myself of the way I handled things this summer and kept on going.
“It meant the world that I could qualify straight in. It would have been a really tough decision for Thomas if it wasn’t, because there was so many great players being outside.
“I wouldn’t know if I wouldn’t have qualified if I would have got the pick or not.
“It makes me feel better making the team. I feel more confident. I think it made it easier.”
