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"Circumstances rule men and not men rule circumstances," was said by a chap called in 484 BC if my trusty quotation link is accurate. Certainly the quote is apt to describe accession to the European Ryder Cup captaincy.

If knew where he stood with his health, if he had felt able to accept the job when he was first mooted as a candidate, he would have succeeded Nick Faldo for the 2010 match at .

But, as we all know, 'if' is a huge word and as the Spaniard prevaricated so the circumstances conspired to put Monty's name in the frame.

It all happened in the dramatic three-hour meeting in Abu Dhabi a fortnight ago when the question was asked: "Who is the best man for the job?"

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Just how important for Paul Casey were those four pars on the closing holes of the Abu Dhabi Championship?

They steered the Englishman to the and in many respects, the most important.

It ended a two-year barren spell and as significantly it was achieved by ultimately avoiding throwing the tournament away.

Casey should have a Wales Open crown and a British Masters to his name but squandered leads on the back nine to miss out and there has been a danger of this becoming a damaging habit.

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had just played a magnificent shot into the final green of his second round and glanced to his left to see a knot of reporters waiting.

He says he couldn't understand why we were there. It was his first answer in a process of stonewalling worthy of the finest political exponent.

We'd heard the news that . That was news to him too, but he seemed very comfortable handling the questions that followed.

Those answers constituted a string of unconvincing denials and the most telling response came when he was pressed on whether he would prefer to be a player in the match at in 2010.

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At a three-hour meeting in a plush Abu Dhabi hotel members of the Tournament Committee of the thrashed out who they want to be the next Ryder Cup captain and aim to announce his identity in a fortnight.

It all points to Jose Maria Olazabal succeeding Nick Faldo to skipper Europe's quest to regain the trophy at in 2010.

The Spaniard has long been favourite to get the job but has expressed reservations about doing it next year. Now it seems he has a fortnight to make up his mind.

This was the conclusion after reading between the lines when European Tour chief executive George O'Grady and the committee emerged from what had clearly been a long discussion over the captaincy.

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With due respect to the Royal Trophy, Johannesburg Open and the European Tour's habit of marking new years a month or so early, it feels as though the 2009 season truly begins in next week - both on and off the course.

In playing terms, a high-quality field has been assembled, while on Tuesday there will be a crucial meeting of the Tour's Tournament Committee at which the next European Ryder Cup captain will be discussed.

Both aspects to the tournament that kicks off a three-week Gulf swing of desert golf are intriguing.

Let's first take the issue of who will succeed Nick Faldo as skipper for the 2010 match at . It could be a long meeting because as yet there doesn't appear a consensus among the members of the committee.

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