ABU DHABI (AP) ― Paul McGinley was chosen as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain for 2014, ending a chaotic campaign marked by a late challenge from former captain Colin Montgomerie.

McGinley, a 46-year-old Irishman, replaces Jose Maria Olazabal, whose team rallied to victory over the United States in October at Medinah, outside Chicago. Europe will defend the trophy at Gleneagles, Scotland.

“To lead the cream of the crop in the Ryder Cup is going to be a huge honor,” McGinley said at a news conference Tuesday.

“To be quite honest, it is a very humbling experience to be sitting in this seat. It is a week I’m looking forward to. It’s a whole new experience for me, the chance to be a captain.”

Top-ranked Rory McIlroy spoke forcefully Monday and Tuesday in favor of the new captain. He said Montgomerie would be less motivated because he captained the winning 2010 Ryder Cup team.

“Common sense prevailed in the end.... Paul McGinley 2014 European Ryder Cup captain!!! Couldn’t be happier for him... Roll on Gleneagles,” McIlroy tweeted.

McIlroy later appeared at the news conference to welcome the new captain.

“He makes you feel so good about yourself,” McIlroy said.

The European Tour’s tournament committee in Abu Dhabi made the unanimous decision after a nearly three-hour meeting. It also considered Montgomerie, Sandy Lyle, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Paul Lawrie.

Montgomerie had earlier said it would be a dream to captain the team in his home country of Scotland. He left without making a comment.

The decision ended a messy few days in which Darren Clarke pulled out of the consideration for the position, preferring to concentrate on his own game. His decision prompted Montgomerie to launch his late bid. That, in turn, brought a stream of support for McGinley on Monday.

“I read and followed every word that went down the last few weeks, I have to say, and watched with interest. Like a yo-yo, my chances seemed to go up and down and up and down,” McGinley said.

“It’s also a situation I’m relishing and I can’t wait to get into the role of being the captain, working with the players, particularly the players that have shown such huge support for me obviously in the last few weeks.”

Thomas Bjorn, chairman of the players’ committee, said all the candidates were discussed thoroughly and the committee fully backed McGinley.

“I think that as a captain, he will bring the Tour even more together,” said Bjorn, who joined McGinley at the news conference.

“He is one of us. There has never been a distance to Paul. He’s a guy you can talk to. He’s got great opinions and he’s been fantastic in the Ryder Cup.”