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Ryder Cup 2012: Team Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal talks recent European success

The Ryder Cup kicks off on Friday with much anticipation in Illinois' Medinah Country Club.

Julian Finney - Getty Images

The 2012 Ryder Cup at the Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill., is about to get underway on Friday, and the European team looks strong once again.

Team Europe's captain Jose Maria Olazabal is confident going into the tournament, feeling that his squad has what it takes to get the job done. The captain also mused during his press conference that the feel of the Ryder Cup started to shift with an influx of new blood.

"Well, I have to be honest, I have to say that the situation in The Ryder Cup started to change when continental players started to be part of the team. Bernhard came in, and some of the rest of the Spanish players, Cañizares, and it's true that some of the Spanish players influenced that period of time"

Olazabal went on to speak about what makes the Ryder Cup great for not only the fans but the players as well.

"Us, we do have a continent, and the friendship and the camaraderie that we have on our tour is big and I think that that's why we are so passionate about this event. It gets us together once every two years. We let our defenses down for this week. We try to get as close as possible to each other, and that's why the Ryder Cup is so beautiful."