The 44-year-old, a member of the United States team at the 2002 event at The Belfry, takes over from Curtis Strange.

Strange was widely criticised for putting his best two players - Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods - at the bottom of the line-up on the final day.

Europe won back the trophy before the pair had a chance to influence the result - the largest winning margin in 17 years and America's sixth defeat in nine meetings.

If you're afraid to be second-guessed, you better not make any decisions Hal Sutton

No American has been retained for a second match as captain since Ben Hogan in 1949 - and Sutton was always the favourite.

The highly-respected former US PGA champion was America's top points-scorer in Boston three years ago.

But he played only two games at The Belfry after a dramatic loss of form this season.

He has been charged with regaining the Cup when the event is staged at Oakland Hills Country Club outside Detroit.

Sutton was asked at last week's Disney tournament about the criticism that losing Ryder Cup captains always receive, and he said that would never keep him from accepting the job.

"If you're afraid to be second-guessed, you better not make any decisions," he said.

Sutton also insisted that the US should be performing better in the Ryder Cup.

"We shouldn't lose these things the way we're losing them," he said.

"There's way too much talent over here."

Sutton will be 46 at the next Ryder Cup.

He was considered golf's next star when he beat Jack Nicklaus in the 1983 PGA Championship at Riviera, and went on to win seven tournaments in his first five years.

But then his career hit a slump and he won just one tournament over the next 11 years before coming back in style to claim the 1998 Tour Championship, one of six tournaments he has won since turning 40.