"It's going to be an emotional week. Darren's a great competitor and Heather would have loved him to play. That's why he put himself forward."

Clarke and Westwood will join 10 other players who qualified automatically through their performances during the course of the season into the team.

Clarke released a statement as soon as the news was made public, saying: "I was both honoured and delighted by Ian Woosnam's invitation to play in this year's Ryder Cup.

"I would certainly not have considered making myself available unless I felt I could contribute to the cause.

'MAGNIFICENT WEEK'

"It is going to be a magnificent week, and I would not have wanted to miss it -- and neither would my lovely wife, Heather."

Clarke has been sharpening up his game already and will get tournament practice in the Madrid Open the week after next.

"I have been honing my game at home and in this weekend's club championship at Queenwood, which I managed to successfully defend. Now I have one more week to prepare in Madrid."

Both Clarke and Westwood have proven track records as winners at the K Club and with Westwood turning his form at the start of July, he got the nod from Woosnam over the other player most in contention for a wild-card, Denmark's Thomas Bjorn.

"Lee's game has come into good form and the last time he won four and a half points out of five. That speaks for itself," said Woosnam.

Westwood said: "It's a huge relief to have made the team and I am so glad that I made the effort to come to Germany (this week).

"Even after I arrived on Wednesday I wasn't sure I had done the right thing because I felt absolutely terrible. I definitely would not have played if it had been any other week than the last one for Ryder Cup qualification.

"I felt I had to show just how much I wanted to be in the team, even though I should have been in bed recovering from tonsillitis."

Although he admitted two players had been on his mind for the second wild-card, Woosnam refused to name the other man.

Bjorn had been convinced he had a strong case. The Dane, still in Munich, would only say: "Devastated does not even come close to how I feel."

American captain Tom Lehman said of Woosnam's selections: "No-one who has ever had to go through the process of selecting only two out of a group of supremely gifted players can understand how difficult that decision is to make.

"I am filled with admiration for what captain Woosnam has done.

"Darren and Lee make an already strong European team even stronger. The inclusion of Darren Clarke is more than appropriate. The American team in its entirety is pleased that he will be part of the Ryder Cup."