Sam Torrance celebrated his appointment as one of two 2014 European Ryder Cup captains with a pint of Guinness.

It came as no surprise European Team captain Paul McGinley chose Torrance and fellow Irishman Des Smyth in making the announcement within the Irish Government buildings here in Dublin.

Sam Torrance celebrates his 2014 Ryder Cup vice-captaincy appointment with a pint of the famed ‘Black Stuff’. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)

McGinley singled out his close relationship with Torrance since he played under Torrance’s victorious captaincy in the 2002 Ryder Cup at The Belfry.

“Sam and I bonded very much in 2002 when Sam culminated a successful career on the golf course with the captaincy at The Belfry, and were it ended very well for the both of us,” said McGinley.

“It was behind the scenes that Sam made a huge impression on me as a player on that team.”

Torrance has known about his appointment for over a year and given McGinley appointed Torrance as a GB & I Seve Trophy captain last October, it was clearly apparent Torrance would join McGinley on stage here in the Irish capital.

Torrance reacted to the appointment, and his second vice-captaincy role after being a member of Mark James 1999 backroom team at Brookline.

Before his 2002 captaincy vote Torrance competed in eight Ryder Cups as a player including being a member of the victorious 1985, 1987 and 1999 victorious sides.

And when asked what experience he brings to the European Team Torrance remarked:  “Experience.  You know, our role as vice-captains, it’s kind of the analogy I would use is like the captain is almost like your headmaster.

“He’s quite a daunting figure to a player.  And when you’re got a problem, sometime the player would hide that problem, rather than go and speak to the captain, and that’s why we’re there as the vice-captains.

“We are the buffer between the captain.

“I’m also a good people person, I get on well in the team room, I’ll stay up as late as anybody wants to listen to the their problems.”