GMAC and RMAC Skip Seve Trophy

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Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell turned down the chance to play for Great Britain and Ireland's in next week's Seve Trophy, the biennial event against Europe.

Justin Rose, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter will also not travel to Versailles as Sam Torrance's side bid to win the trophy for a seventh successive time against a Europe team skippered by Jose Maria Olazabal.

Instead Torrance's side contains just one member of Europe's successful Ryder Cup team at Medinah last year in Scotland's Paul Lawrie, although three-time Ryder Cup player Paul Casey is included along with fellow Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood, David Lynn, Simon Khan and Chris Wood.

Lawrie is joined by fellow Scots Marc Warren, Stephen Gallacher and Scott Jamieson, with Welshman Jamie Donaldson completing the 10-man team.

Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, who appointed Torrance and Olazabal, said: "I'm not too disheartened they're not coming over. I've seen those six players. I know what they can do.

Debrief

"I am interested in attending the debrief with Sam and Jose Maria over a glass of French red wine, interested to hear what they have to say as to how the guys moulded in."

Olazabal's side features three players he led to victory at Medinah in Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, Swede Peter Hanson and Italian Francesco Molinari, as well as two of his vice-captains, Denmark's Thomas Bjorn and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.

They will be joined by Finland's Mikko Ilonen and Italian Matteo Manassero, along with rookies Gregory Bourdy, Joost Luiten and Thorbjorn Olesen.

Olazabal, who was also captain in 2005, said: "I think we have a very strong team this year with a good mix of players with Ryder Cup experience and some exciting, talented younger players such as Matteo, Joost and Thorbjorn.

"It is a tournament and a competition that was very close to Seve's heart and we will have to show some of his fighting spirit to win this year and improve on our recent record."

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McGinley Favours European Team

Great Britain and Ireland captain Paul McGinley insists his side should be regarded as underdogs for this week's Vivendi Seve Trophy match against Jean Van de Velde's Continental Europe team.

McGinley has world number two Lee Westwood, Open winner Darren Clarke and the in-form Simon Dyson in his line-up for the biennial event at St Nom La Breteche in Paris.

But the Irishman said: "There is no doubt Continental Europe are the favourites and a stronger team on paper.

"We're under no illusions we're the underdogs. But we have been before and come out on top." 

McGinley on team's chances

"Look at the quality and experience they have in the team, where they are in the world rankings and Race to Dubai. Their top players seem to enjoy the event and make themselves available.

"They have a French captain as well. That's going to mean a vociferous crowd. We're under no illusions we're the underdogs. But we have been before and come out on top.

"I've got a good idea of my pairings. The big decision I've faced is, do I put my best players together or do I spread them out and put the debutants with experienced players?

"I'll be running everything by the boys when practice is over. I'll be making my decisions then."

The bookies agree with McGinley's assessment about which side should be regarded as favourites.

Sky Bet make Continental Europe 4/5, with Great Britain and Ireland at Even Money.

Continental Europe captain Jean Van de Velde, meanwhile, insists his side is determined to avoid a sixth consecutive defeat in the event.

The Frenchman is hoping that Thomas Bjorn can continue the sparkling form that has netted the Dane two titles this season in his last two starts on the European Tour.

Ryder Cup stalwart Miguel Angel Jimenez is another key man for the 'home' team, and Van de Velde hopes they can inspire the inexperienced players in his side.

"We've played this match six times and Britain and Ireland have won the last five; that will be the inspiration for my team," said the Frenchman.

"I have a couple of leaders. Thomas Bjorn is in incredible form. It's his sixth Seve Trophy and he knows how many times we have lost. He doesn't like to be beaten.

"Miguel-Angel Jimenez never knows when he is beaten, and he has played in three Ryder Cups and all six Seve Trophy matches.

"I have 10 players who feel that way, too. It's a common interest. They are all champions and if there is one thing they hate more than anything, it's losing."

2011 Vivendi Trophy - Live Scoring

Vivendi Trophy Teams Announced

World number two Lee Westwood will spearhead Great Britain and Ireland's challenge against a strong Continental Europe featuring the in-form Thomas Bjorn in next week's Vivendi Seve Trophy following confirmation of the teams for the biennial contest.

GB & Ireland, again captained by Irishman Paul McGinley, will defend the title they won two years ago at St-Nom-La-Breteche in Paris from September 15-18, and the team is further strengthened by the presence of Open champion Darren Clarke and world number 18 Ian Poulter.

English trio Simon Dyson, Ross Fisher and Robert Rock, who were part of that 2009 victory, return to the team, while Welshman Jamie Donaldson, Scotland's Scott Jamieson and English duo David Horsey and Mark Foster will make their debuts in the event.

McGinley's side will have to cope without four of the world's top 20 however. Number one Luke Donald's absence was almost inevitable given he is still in the FedEx Cup play-offs in America, but Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Paul Casey have turned down the chance to play.

So too have Martin Laird and Justin Rose because of the play-offs

Continental Europe boasts six players in the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking, including Bjorn who completed back-to-back European Tour victories with his Omega European Masters triumph on Sunday following success at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. The 40 year-old Dane, who captained Continental Europe in 2009, has won three times this season to rise to world number 28 and secure a playing role this time around.

Italian teenager Matteo Manassero will make his Vivendi Seve Trophy debut, as will Alex Noren of Sweden, Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts and Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal. Manassero, at 18 years and 152 days, is the youngest player in the history of the competition, beating the record held by Sergio Garcia,who was 20 years and 96 days in 2000.

Italy's Francesco Molinari, Alvaro Quiros of Spain and Dane Anders Hansen were debutants two years ago and return to the team, while 47 year-old Miguel Angel Jimenez will make his seventh appearance in the competition, hoping to add to his success in 2000. Sweden's Peter Hanson completes the line-up for his fourth appearance.

Missing for Continental Europe are world number three Martin Kaymer - he wants to rest between his defences of the KLM Open and Dunhill Links Championship - and FedEx Cup survivors Robert Karlsson and Sergio Garcia.

McGinley will be aiming to maintain his 100 per cent record in the event, having won it twice as a player in 2006 and 2007 and as captain in 2009.

Boost

He said: "It is a huge boost for our team that players of the calibre of Lee, Darren and Ian have opted to play next week. These are players with big worldwide reputations and impressive Ryder Cup pedigrees.

"I think we have an extremely strong side with a good blend of youth and experience and I am certain that our four rookies will learn an enormous amount from playing with the likes of Lee and Darren, who have performed at a very elite level for many years.

"It is certain that many of the members of our team will go on to represent Europe in The Ryder Cup, so this experience of team golf cannot be underestimated."

Van de Velde commented: "I would like to thank my Continental side for making the effort to play. We have a very strong team and GB & I will also benefit from having Lee and Darren in their line-up. It has the making of a very exciting and close contest.

"It is great to see so many great champions in the field and so many fantastic young prospects like Matteo Manassero. With eight rookies in the two teams, it means that 40 per cent of the sides are newcomers to the Vivendi Seve Trophy and this will be great preparation for the day they step up to play in The Ryder Cup.

"We have Miguel Angel Jimenez playing in his seventh Seve Trophy and Thomas Bjorn his sixth. However we are 5-1 down in the series and I hope we can reverse the trend."

The strength of the event is evidenced by the fact that six players from the European Ryder Cup team which beat the United States last October are playing - Westwood, Poulter, Fisher, Jiménez, Molinari and Hanson.

The teams play fourballs, greensomes, foursomes and singles over the four days. Qualification for the teams began at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December 2010 and finished after the Omega European Masters last weekend.

The Vivendi Seve Trophy, instigated by the late Seve Ballesteros as a team competition to be contested in non-Ryder Cup years, has been played six times, with Continental Europe winning the first edition at Sunningdale in England and Great Britain and Ireland claiming the last five matches.

Teams:

Continental Europe: Francesco Molinari, Anders Hansen, Thomas Bjorn, Matteo Manassero, Alvaro Quiros, Alex Noren, Pablo Larrazabal, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Nicolas Colsaerts, Peter Hanson.

GB & Ireland: Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Darren Clarke, Simon Dyson, Ross Fisher, Mark Foster, Robert Rock, Jamie Donaldson, David Horsey, Scott Jamieson.