And then there were 12: The US team for the Belfry

Mark Calcavecchia

Age: 41. Born: Laurel, Nebraska. Caps: 3 (1987-89-91). Presidents Cup record: P4; W1; H2; L1.

Professional wins: 15.

World ranking: 26. Majors: 1 (1989 British Open).

Back for fourth cap 10 years after dramatic halved match with Colin Montgomerie. Led by five at halfway, but lost last four holes as his game totally collapsed. Set US Tour record in winning Phoenix Open with 256 (28 under par) total in January. Strangely has never lost in Ryder Cup foursomes and has lost every time in fourballs.

Stewart Cink

Age: 28. Born: Huntsville, Alabama. Caps: 0.

Presidents Cup: P4 W4. Professional wins: 3.

World ranking: 23. Majors: 0.

Double-bogeyed the last hole to miss out on US Open play-off in June. Has won over six million dollars on US Tour despite only two wins in nearly 150 starts. Became a husband and father while still at college. Rookie of the Year in 1997 and won all four games on Presidents Cup debut last year after grabbing last automatic place on team.

David Duval

Age: 29.

Born: Jacksonville, Florida.

Caps: 1 (1999).

Presidents Cup record: P14 W7 H1 L6.

Professional wins: 13.

World ranking: 3.

Majors: 1 (2001 Open).

After string of near-misses finally broke major duck at Royal Lytham last month, winning the Open in real style with closing rounds of 65 and 67. Seven times a runner-up prior to first victory in 1 997, but then had 11 wins in 18 months and briefly took world No 1 spot from Tiger Woods. One of only three players to shoot 59 on US Tour.

Jim Furyk

Age: 31. Born: West Chester, Pennsylvannia. Caps: 2 (1997-99). Presidents Cup record: P8 W4 L4.

Professional wins: 7. World ranking: 14. Majors: 0.

Following wrist injury was reliant on wild card until he finished second in penultimate counting event. Unorthodox swing, but consistent performer. Only two cup wins have come in singles - over Nick Faldo at Valderrama and Sergio Garcia in Boston. Twice a winner in President's Cup singles as well and at last year's match won twice with Hal Sutton.

Scott Hoch

Age: 45. Born: Raleigh, North Carolina. Caps: 1 (1997).Presidents Cup: P12 W7 H1 L4. Professional wins: 16. World ranking: 21. Majors: 0.

Missed two-foot putt to win 1989 Masters play-off with Nick Faldo. Father was college baseball star and brother professional ten-pin bowler. Had first US Tour win for four years in April and followed with another last month. Was used only in foursomes on debut at Valderrama, won both times, but in decisive singles could not beat Colin Montgomerie.

Davis Love

Age: 37. Born: Charlotte, North Carolina. Caps: 4 (1993-95-97-99). Presidents Cup: P19 W12 H2 L5.

Professional wins: 16. World ranking: 6.

Majors: 1 (1997 US PGA).

Had match-winning victory over Costantino Rocca on cup debut at The Belfry, but a month after his first major title at 1997 USPGA lost all his four games at Valderrama. Shared four consecutive World Cup wins with Fred Couples and had remarkable Pebble Beach win in February, playing first seven holes of final round in eight under.

Phil Mickelson

Age: 31. Born: San Diego, California. Caps: 3 (1995-97-99).Presidents Cup: P18 W6 H5 L7.

Professional wins: 20. World ranking: 2.

Majors: 0.

World number two, but still to end major hoodoo. Was runner-up to Payne Stewart in 1999 US Open and again by a shot at the USPGA after setting major championship scoring record of 266 that lasted for a minute. Has had 14 top-10 finishes in all. Won on US Tour as 20-year-old amateur in 1991 and was unbeaten on Ryder Cup debut.

Hal Sutton

Age: 43. Born: Shreveport, Louisiana. Caps: 3 (1985-87-99).Presidents Cup: P5 W3 L2.

Professional wins: 14. World ranking: 13.

Majors: 1 (1983 US PGA).

America's most successful player last time with three wins and a half and underlined he was back in the big-time by holding off Tiger Woods in 2000 Players championship. Was nicknamed "Bear Apparent" to Jack Nicklaus when he captured 1983 USPGA and topped US Tour, but then went eight years without a win and slumped to 185th on the money list during barren spell.

David Toms

Age: 34.

Born: Monroe, Louisiana.

Caps: 0.

Professional wins: 7.

World ranking: 19.

Majors: 1 (2001 US PGA).

Earned debut in grand style by winning the United States PGA championship, the final counting event. Had been 14th in the table entering the event, but leapt to fifth. On Masters debut in 1998 finished joint sixth after playing last nine holes in record-equalling 29, including six successive birdies. Then was fourth on Open debut last year.

Tiger Woods

Age: 25.

Born: Cypress, California.

Caps: 2 (1997-99).

Presidents Cup: P10 W5 L5.

Professional wins: 34.

World ranking: 1.

Majors: 6 (1997 Masters, 1999 USPGA, 2000 US Open-Open-USPGA, 2001 Masters).

In April, runaway world number one became first player ever to hold all four majors at the same time and totally dominated the sport. Failure to retain three of them, though, has reminded everyone he is human. Unimpressive Ryder Cup record - won only once on debut at Valderrama and twice last time - is something he is keen to change.

Paul Azinger

Age: 41.

Born: Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Caps: 3 (1989-91-93).

Presidents Cup: P3 W1 L2.

Professional wins: 14.

World ranking: 24.

Majors: 1 (1993 US PGA).

HAS not played in the match since recovering from lymphoma cancer in his shoulder, discovered just after he won the US PGA title in 1993. Illness kept him out of golf for a year, but last season was selected for the Presidents Cup and is now given a wild card again. Involved in controversial matches with Seve Ballesteros in 1989 and 1991.

Scott Verplank

Age: 37.

Born: Dallas, Texas.

Caps: 0.

World ranking: 25

Former US Amateur champion who like Phil Mickelson won on the US Tour before he turned pro. Has problems related to diabetes and had surgery in 1992 and 1995 to correct soft tissue pinching in his elbow. Went 12 years without winning until capturing the Reno-Tahoe Open last season and has had four top five finishes this year. Wild card pick.