• ‘This is one of the greatest days in my career,’ says Dane • Dane was runaway favourite for role after Padraig Harrington pulled out

Confirmation of golf’s most open secret owes everything to perfect timing. From the moment Padraig Harrington insisted he has his heart set on playing in the 2018 Ryder Cup rather than chasing the European captaincy, Thomas Bjorn’s status was assured.

“This is one of the greatest days in my career,” said the 45-year-old Bjorn. “I’ve never looked forward to anything so much in my life. I studied a lot of captains as a player and as a vice-captain and always wondered what that feeling would be like to be the one leading out a team of 12 great players. Now it’s my turn to do just that and it is an exciting moment for me.

“I have lived and breathed the European Tour for so long, and now I will do the same with the Ryder Cup for the next two years. I’m very much looking forward to taking on this task.”

Bjorn had no legitimate challenger when it came to leading Europe on the outskirts of Paris. The five-man selection committee only had to find a suitable date upon which to make Bjorn’s announcement.

With Lee Westwood having pinpointed 2020 for a captaincy tilt, Ian Poulter anxious to prolong his playing career and Miguel Ángel Jiménez never retaining the necessary support within the European Tour, Bjorn was the obvious choice. Paul Lawrie, despite making brief noises to the contrary, was never worthy of consideration.

There are wholly relevant factors at play in the background here. The Tour has long been anxious that the Ryder Cup captaincy isn’t the domain only of golfers from the UK and Ireland. The arrival of the biennial event in France provided the perfect opportunity to hand the most prominent role to a continental figure.

Bjorn is also steeped in the European Tour, having dedicated his entire career to it, a matter that is more pertinent now than ever. The Tour faces an increasing struggle for relevance against the riches on offer in the United States. A full European Tour schedule for 2017 is yet to be forthcoming – an ominous sign with events of this season already underway.

Bjorn has won 15 times on the European Tour. He played in successful Ryder Cup teams of 1997, 2002 and 2014 and has also served as a vice-captain on four occasions. His best major results are three second places, achieved at the Open Championship, twice, and US PGA Championship.

“Thomas has many wonderful characteristics which he will bring to the role of captain,” said Keith Pelley, the European Tour’s chief executive. “Firstly, he is incredibly experienced. He also has commitment. We have seen that over the last nine years as tournament committee chairman, so we know as Ryder Cup captain he will have the same unwavering commitment.

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“Thirdly, he has passion. Not only for this wonderful game but for the European Tour and Team Europe, and he wants the Ryder Cup to be the greatest sporting event it can be. So when you look at his these characteristics, I am convinced they will make him great Ryder Cup captain.”

Bjorn is popular, if known for having a temper. The needless row Bjorn caused with Henrik Stenson at the 2014 Dubai Desert Classic offered notice of his propensity to be awkward, albeit – and thankfully for Europe – that issue was quickly resolved.

Darren Clarke, who captained the Europeans during defeat at Hazeltine this year, was previously known for temper issues of his own without those ever really coming to prominence during the Northern Irishman’s Ryder Cup stint.

Bjorn’s task is to overturn that Hazeltine result and reclaim the Ryder Cup for Europe. The United States are still to name their successor to Davis Love III as captain, but with a plan to appoint from within their existing Ryder Cup setup, Jim Furyk is the firm favourite to take over as Bjorn’s opposite number.