As the Challenge Tour visits Italy for the first time since December's landmark announcement that Rome would host the Ryder Cup in 2022, et.com thought it was worth highlighting the significant contribution the Challenge Tour has made to Team Europe's many successes in the recent past - and will surely continue doing so in future editions.
23 - number of former Challenge Tour players
They are: Peter Baker ('93), Thomas Bjørn ('97,'02, '14), Nicolas Colsaerts ('12), Andrew Coltart ('99), Jamie Donaldson ('14), Niclas Fasth ('02), Ross Fisher ('10), Pierre Fulke ('02), Stephen Gallacher ('14), Ignacio Garrido ('97), Joakim Haeggman ('93), Søren Hansen ('08), Peter Hanson ('10, '12), Per-Ulrik Johansson ('95, '97), Martin Kaymer ('10, '12, '14), Thomas Levet ('04), Edoardo Molinari ('10), Ian Poulter ('04, '08, '10, '12, '14), Costantino Rocca ('93, '95, '97), Justin Rose ('08, '12, '14), Jarmo Sandelin ('99), Henrik Stenson ('06, '08, '14), Oliver Wilson ('08)
10 - different countries represented
Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Wales
2 - number of Italians
Molinari and Rocca
8 - number of victorious European teams featuring Challenge Tour alumni
5 - most total appearances
By Ian Poulter
13 - most points won
Also (unsurprisingly) by Poulter
7 - members of victorious 2014 team
Bjørn, Donaldson, Gallacher, Kaymer, Poulter, Rose & Stenson
3 - winners of the decisive point
Stenson in 2006, Kaymer in 2012 and Donaldson in 2014
