Steve Elling’s European Ryder Cup breakdown

• 

• 

  Henrik Stenson - nationality: Swedish; age: 38; Ryder experience: 2006, '08; Ryder record: 2-3-2. Season highlights: Somewhat surprisingly, Stenson makes his first Ryder appearance in six years – and he effectively sealed a spot on the side a year ago when he was the arguably the best player on the US and European circuits. Even though he is ranked third in the world – the same spot where he began the year – he has not won since producing a career season in 2013 that included winning the DP World event in Dubai. (Photo: Andrew Redington / Getty Images)

• 

  Lee Westwood - nationality: English; age: 41; Ryder experience: 1997, '99, '02, '04, '06, '08, '10, '12; Ryder record: 18-13-6. Season highlights: It has been a largely forgettable year, aside from a victory in Malaysia against a mediocre field. He was bounced out of the US tour’s FedEx Cup series after the first round and has not logged a top-10 finish since May. He has fallen 13 spots in the world ranking since January to No 38, lowest among the 12 players on the European side. This will mark Westwood’s ninth appearance, one short of the team record. (Photo: David Cannon / Getty Images)

• 

  Martin Kaymer - nationality: German; age: 29; Ryder experience: 2010, '12; Ryder record: 3-2-1. Season highlights: Kaymer ran away with the US Open title in June, turning the weekend into a foregone conclusion. Already a two-time major winner, Kaymer was the hero of the 2012 Ryder Cup, scoring the clinching point on the 18th green when the result was very much in doubt at Medinah. He is a three-time past champion in Abu Dhabi. Ranked 12th in the world. (Photo: Stuart Franklin / Getty Images)

• 

  Ian Poulter - nationality: English; age: 38; Ryder experience: 2004, '08, '10, '12; Ryder record: 12-3-0. Season highlights: Bothered much of the season by an injured wrist, Poulter has made the least impact in 2014 of any player on the European side, with just two top-10 finishes all season, in fact. Leaving Poulter off the team, however, would have been unthinkable since he has a Ryder record of 12-3-0 in three appearances. He has become the team’s emotional centrepiece. (Photo: Jared Wickerham / Getty Images / AFP)

• 

  Justin Rose - nationality: English; age: 34; Ryder experience: 2008, '12; Ryder record: 6-3-0. Season highlights: Created a formidable team when paired with Poulter and has become one of the most reliable players on the planet. Won back-to-back starts on the US and European tours in June and July in Washington, DC, and Scotland, jumping him back into the world top five. Scored a crucial win against Phil Mickelson in singles at Medinah that kept Europe’s momentum alive. (Photo: Mike Young / The National)

• 

  Graeme McDowell - nationality: Northern Irish; age: 35; Ryder experience: 2008, '10, '12; Ryder record: 5-5-2. Season highlights: His lone win came at the French Open, but he has nine top-10 finishes and has been as reliable as ever. His overall Ryder record might not impress, but he was the hero in Wales, scoring the winning point against Hunter Mahan as the entire world watched his match. McDowell, a newlywed, has not played the past two weeks after his wife gave birth to the couple’s first child in Florida. (Photo: Jeff Topping / The National)

• 

  Victor Dubuisson - nationality: French; age: 24; Ryder experience: none; Ryder record: rookie. Season highlights: The long-hitting Dubuisson made most of his noise in the overlap between the end of 2013 and the early portions of 2014, when he won in Turkey and finished second in the Accenture World Match Play Championship. He has showed signs of again heating up, finishing in the top 10 at the British Open and PGA Championship. While Rory McIlroy gets all the attention, Dubuisson is in fact younger. (Photo: Mike Young / The National)

• 

  Thomas Bjorn - nationality: Danish; age: 43; Ryder experience: 1997, '02; Ryder record: 3-2-1. Season highlights: Talk about long lay-offs. Bjorn has not played in the Ryder in 12 years and twice has served as an assistant captain, but a strong run early in the 2014 season secured a spot. He has six top-10 finishes, though he has not won since claiming the short-field Nedbank event last December, which carried a huge purse and significantly boosted his Ryder chances. (Photo: Richard Heathcote / Getty Images)

• 

  Stephen Gallacher - nationality: Scottish; age: 39; Ryder experience: none; Ryder record: rookie. Season highlights: Gallacher stormed from behind on the back nine to win his second consecutive Dubai Desert Challenge title in February, blowing past McIlroy and a handful of others to get his foot in the door in the Ryder race. Gallacher, one of the oldest Ryder rookies in recent years, has some match-play experience. He was on the winning side against the US in the 1995 Walker Cup, beating a team that included Tiger Woods. (Photo: Stuart Franklin / Getty Images)

Analysis of the 12 players that will compose Europe’s squad for the 2014 Ryder Cup.