BBC Sportgolf

Arguably the longest hitter in golf, Holmes beat world number two Phil Mickelson in a play-off at the FBR Open in Scottsdale, shocking him into second place with a 370-yard drive on the first extra hole.

That statement of intent put Kentucky-born Holmes on Azinger's radar and his ambitious long game has seen him rewarded with a rookie spot his team.

Another young gun determined to prove he can cope with the huge weight of pressure coming into a tournament against an infinitely more experienced European team, but Holmes became the fastest golfer to reach one million dollars in career earnings on the PGA Tour in 2006 so he has shown he can quickly make a name for himself.

A clear advocate of John Daly's "Grip it and Rip It" philosophy, Holmes had to rally after his early professional successes when his form collapsed rapidly. In 2007 he managed only two top ten finishes, ended the year in 118th place on the money list.

In April he reached the top 50 of the world rankings for the first time after claiming that sensational play-off victory at Scottsdale (the second time he had lifted the title), and will be out to prove he is more than just an aggressive big hitter when the games begin in Valhalla.