(CNN) -- European team captain Jose Maria Olazabal went for a mix of experience and untried talent on Monday as he selected his two wildcard picks for next month's Ryder Cup golf tournament against the United States.
While Britain's Ian Poulter will appear in the prestigious match play event for the fourth time, having been a winner in 2010, rookie Nicolas Colsaerts will become the first Belgian to take part.
The 29-year-old, who won the Volvo World Match Play Championship in May, is only the third first-timer selected in a European team since 1979.
He has climbed up the rankings to 35th with nine top-10 finishes this year. He beat 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, who is also on the team, in the Wentworth final.
Colsaerts needed a top-two finish at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles on Sunday to secure an automatic spot in the 12-man team but tied for 19th to let out-of-form former world No. 1 Martin Kaymer retain his place for the match at Medinah in Illinois.
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"This has been something I've wanted since I was a little kid," he told reporters. "To be part of such a big team with a captain with such great history is something I'm very proud of."
Colsaerts turned professional in 2000, but did not win his first European Tour event until the 2011 China Open -- where he was runner-up this year -- and he placed seventh at July's British Open.
His selection, heading off the likes of three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, means it is the first time a European team has been made up from inside the world's top 35.
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"His match play record is very good. He finished third last year at the World Match Play and he won this year," said Olazabal, a two-time major winner who has played in seven Ryder Cups.
"He's had a very solid season, and on top of that, he's made the extra effort trying to make the team. He really showed me that he wants to be a part of that team. Those are the reasons for me to pick him."
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Former top-10 player Poulter, who beat Colsaerts in last year's Volvo Match Play semifinals, has had to overcome illness and a slow start to the season.
Rory McIlroy kisses his prize after winning the 94th PGA Championship on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina on Sunday, August 12. See how the action unfolded here.
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After narrowly missing out in the 1960 British Open at the home of golf, St. Andrews, Arnold Palmer won the tournament for the first time the following year at Royal Birkdale and then again in 1962.
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Fifteen-year-old Lydia Ko is the youngest LPGA Tour winner in history courtesy of her win at the Canadian Women's Open. She was just 14 when she triumphed at the the New South Wales Open in January 2012, becoming the youngest player to win a professional tournament. She clinched the U.S. Amateur Championship two weeks ago.
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He pulled out of the Honda Classic in March with pneumonia, but was ninth at the British Open and then claimed third place in this month's U.S. PGA Championship to move back up to 26th in the rankings.
"I think he gets the best out of himself playing the Ryder Cup," Olazabal said. "He had some issues early in the season but his attitude and his spirit in the Ryder Cup team has always been great. He's one of those players who likes to be in that situation."
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Colsaerts and Poulter join world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Johnnie Walker winner Paul Lawrie, McDowell, Francesco Molinari, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Peter Hanson and Kaymer in the team for the September 28-30 event.
Eight of that team were part of the victory at Celtic Manor in Wales two years ago, when Europe won by just one point after a dramatic fightback by the United States.
U.S. team captain Davis Love has four wildcard spots to fill. He will make his choice next Tuesday after this week's Deutsche Bank Championship, the second of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup series.
Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson have already secured their places in the team.
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Carl Pettersson digs in during the final round.
Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh concluding their round.
The crowd goes crazy as Rory McIlroy wins.
Ian Poulter buries himself in bogeys late on Sunday.
Rory McIlroy sinking the winning putt.
Carl Pettersson of Sweden hits out of the sand on the 10th hole.
A general view of the 18th hole during the final round.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland reacts after a putt at the 18th hole.
Adam Scott of Australia lines up a putt during round three. Play in the third round resumed Sunday after it was suspended late Saturday due to bad weather.
The Ocean Course's Shingle-style clubhouse overlooks the 18th green. The course previously hosted the 1991 Ryder Cup.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland hits out of a bunker on the 18th hole during round three.
Tiger Woods lines up a putt during the third round.
Tim Clark of South Africa hits off the15th tee.
Trevor Immelman of South Africa and his caddy examine the green before a putt.
Woods catches a ball tossed by caddie Joe LaCava on the 14th green.
Tiger Woods hits out of the sand on the 17th hole during the third round.
Vijay Singh, who started the day near the top of the leaderboard, ponders his options before making a putt on the back nine on Sunday.
Surrounded by the gallery, Woods jumps to see his ball after his shot on the15th hole.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland watches his drive from the 16th tee. He took a three-shot lead into the final 18 holes.
Spectators file along the course near the 16th hole to stake out a position for viewing.
Woods, who finished the third round with a 74, wipes his brow between holes.
Singh hits off the 16th tee.
Graeme McDowell blasts out of a sand bunker on Sunday.
Woods tries to reach the green from a bunker on the 17th hole.
Phil Mickelson finished the third round with a 73.
Adam Scott of Australia walks off the course under dark clouds as play is suspended due to rain on Saturday, August 11.
Tiger Woods, left, and Vijay Singh of Fiji walk off the course after the suspension of play.
Changes are made to the leaderboard during a delay in play due to weather Saturday.
Carl Pettersson of Sweden tries a putt from the edge of the green as storm clouds move in.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who goes into Sunday's play in the lead at 6 under par, hits off the sixth tee.
Woods, who dropped significantly in position Saturday, reacts after a missed putt on the fourth green.
Singh putts on the 18th green Saturday.
Bo Van Pelt of the United States hits a tee shot on the sixth hole.
Phil Mickelson tries for the green from the fairway on the 7th hole.
Aaron Baddeley has experienced peaks and valleys during this championship.
Fans watch the pairing of Graeme McDowell and Phil Mickelson on Saturday.
Jamie Donaldson of Wales hits from the seventh tee.
David Lynn of England hits out of the sand on the 18th hole.
Tiger Woods of the United States hits out of the sand on the seventh hole.
Blake Adams of the United States hits off the first tee.
Jamie Donaldson of Wales, left, and his caddie Mick Donaghy look on from the first tee.
Bill Haas of the United States hits a shot on the seventh hole during round three.
Tiger Woods of the United States hits off the first tee.
Bubba Watson of the United States prepares to hit a shot on the second hole.
Ryo Ishikawa of Japan hits off the fourth tee during round three in South Carolina on Saturday.
Bubba Watson of the United States hits off the seventh tee during Round Three.
Spectators look on as Bubba Watson putts on the first green.
Trevor Immelman of South Africa hits a tee shot during round two.
Justin Rose of England hits a shot off the first fairway during round three on Saturday.
Australia's Adam Scott putts on the 11th green during the second round of the 94th PGA Championship.
Rickie Fowler punches a ball on the 17th hole on Friday.
Hunter Mahan hits out of the sand on the 10th hole.
The wind whips the PGA flags on Friday.
Golf fans watch during the second round of the championship.
Graeme McDowell hits off the 18th tee.
Adam Scott studies the green on the 16th hole.
Phil Mickelson fans for onlookers.
A spectator watches the players from a tree.
Graeme McDowell walks with caddies.
Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia lines up a putt on the 10th green.
England's Roger Chapman, from left, Mark Brooks of the United States and South Africa's Retief Goosen talk on the 2nd tee.
Spain's Sergio Garcia hits off the 15th tee.
Luke Donald of England hits a shot on the 2nd hole.
U.S. player Dustin Johnson hits off the 15th tee during the first round of the 94th PGA Championship on Thursday.
Martin Kaymer of Germany hits a shot from the 10th fairway on Thursday.
U.S. player Tiger Woods hits off the 15th tee.
Woods hits a shot onto the 17th green during round one.
South Africa's Rory Sabbatini hits off the 15th tee.
Woods hits out of a bunker on the 14th hole.
Australian player Greg Chalmers chips in for birdie on the fifth hole.
Martin Kaymer of Germany lines up a putt on the 11th green.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits off the 12th tee.
Woods walks toward the 10th fairway.
Kaymer hits a shot on the 11th hole.
The PGA Championship got off to a gorgeous start Thursday.
His successes helped restore the tournament's prestige. Gene Sarazen won the British Open in 1932 during a period of American dominance but he was the sole U.S. entrant in 1958, long past his prime.
In the 1960s, Palmer was arguably the most popular sportsman in the world. From 1960 to 1963 he won a remarkable 29 tournaments and, as his popularity and fame grew, so did the legions of fans who would follow his every move -- known as "Arnie's Army."
As the American's career went from strength to strength, so did his image as a style icon. He recognized that golf fashion was a market that could be developed and he quickly became a trendsetter both for his looks and for what he was wearing.
To commemorate 50 years since his greatest golfing year, Palmer has launched a range of retro clothing that features modern interpretations of styles that he once sported. The range will be punctuated by limited-editions to be released around the dates of majors and tournaments won by Palmer.
PGA Tour professional Ryan Moore is the leading current player to wear the Arnie Apparel range. The 29-year-old Moore has won one event, the 2009 Wyndham Championship, since joining the tour in 2005.
Palmer and his two sisters were introduced to golf at an early age because their father was head professional and greenskeeper at Latrobe Country Club, Pennsylvania. A young Arnie was handed his first clubs, aged four, which Milfred Palmer specially cut down for him.
Palmer won the first of five West Penn Amateur Championships when he was 17 and went to Wake Forest University, where he became the golf team's top player and one of the leading lights on the college circuit.
Palmer turned professional in 1954, aged 25, and joined the PGA Tour a year later. It wasn't long before his undoubted talent began to shine through, with his first victory coming in that year's Canadian Open, where he shot an impressive 23 under par over four rounds.
Palmer competed for the United States in the 1961 Ryder Cup at Royal Lytham and St. Annes, the host venue for the 2012 British Open.
He became one of golf's "Big Three" along with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, a legendary trio that had the honor of the ceremonial opening tee shot at the 2012 Masters at Augusta.
Palmer became the first player to win $1 million in PGA Tour earnings and finally ended his career in 2006 as a very wealthy man. A trained pilot, Palmer would regularly fly his own planes to tournaments and did not relinquish his license until he was 81.
Guan Tian-Lang, 13, made history as the youngest player at a European Tour event when he teed off at his home China Open in April 2012.
However, he could not better the achievement of Jason Hak, who was 14 when he became the youngest player to make the halfway cut at a European Tour event at the 2008 Hong Kong Open.
Thompson is the youngest player to win on the European Ladies' Tour. Here she receives her trophy at the Dubai Ladies Masters on December 17, 2011.
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