Photo

Click on photo to enlarge

Britain's Nick Faldo, captain of the European Ryder Cup team, watches his team's play on the ninth hole during singles play in the 37th Ryder Cup Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky September 21, 2008. REUTERS/Shaun Best

BEIJING (Reuters) - Six-times major champion Nick Faldo would like another chance to lead Europe at the 2010 Ryder Cup, despite the team slumping to their first defeat in nine years under the Englishman's captaincy.

Under Faldo, Europe suffered a 16 1/2 to 11 1/2 loss to the United States at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky in September, its heaviest defeat since 1981, prompting harsh criticism of his captaincy in British tabloids.

"I enjoyed it so much that week, it really was a great experience," the 51-year-old Briton told reporters on Wednesday.

"If somewhere down the line there's another opportunity to be captain, I would seriously consider it," he said.

Faldo is among six former major champions teeing off at the co-sanctioned Hong Kong Open Thursday, including fellow Briton Paul Lawrie, German Bernhard Langer and Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal.

Dubbed 'Captain Calamity' in some British newspapers, Faldo was taken to task for sending out his big guns at the bottom of the order with Europe trailing 9-7 on the final day.

He was also criticized for overlooking Ryder Cup stalwarts Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie as his two wildcard picks, opting instead for Ian Poulter and Paul Casey.

Faldo would need to overcome a strong bid from double major winner Sandy Lyle, who Montgomerie has backed for the captaincy.

Montgomerie, who has ruled himself out of the captaincy race in an attempt to play his way into the team, reiterated his support for his 50-year-old fellow Scotsman Wednesday.

"I think it would be a shame if Sandy did miss out... It appears that it is just a one-hit deal right now, so it would be going against -- it would show a precedent if Nick was to do that again," Montgomerie said.

The 45-year-old Scot said he felt confident going into this week's Hong Kong Open, an event he won in 2005, despite a run of poor form that has seen him tumble out of the world's top 100 this year.

"I still feel that without question, I should be in the top 50. It's just a matter of proving it, mainly to myself," Montgomerie said.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by ....)