Pádraig Harrington kicked off his 2020 Ryder Cup captaincy by stating his total confidence that Rory McIlroy would be fully committed to the European cause at Whistling Straits.

Anyone who has followed the illustrious playing career of Pádraig Harrington and listened to his intense desire to get things right these past 15 years, or so, will have no doubt he is the right man to lead Europe into the next Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin 20 months from now.

Oh captain, my captain!

Rory McIlroy praised Team Europe’s character and compatibility as he soaked in the moment of a fourth Ryder Cup success at Le Golf National last night.

Ryder Cup veterans Ian Poulter and Justin Rose saluted team captain Thomas Bjorn’s calm under pressure and attention to detail after the Dane delivered a landslide victory for Europe over the United States at Le Golf National.

Patrick Reed relishes the role of Captain America. And he’s just as comfortable being Public Enemy No. 1 at the Ryder Cup.

Europe captain Thomas Bjorn insists he and his team do not fear a revitalised Tiger Woods despite the 14-time major winner’s spectacular return to form.

I was fortunate to play a number of French Open tournaments around Le Golf National. It is an outstanding test of golf with a set-up more akin to what you would experience in a major championship than that at a regular tour venue.

Sergio Garcia’s inclusion as one of Thomas Bjorn’s four captain’s picks for Europe later this month could come to define the success or failure of the Dane’s bid to regain the Ryder Cup from the United States.

As expected, Tiger Woods was named on the US Ryder Cup team last night alongside Bryson DeChambeau, and Phil Mickelson as Jim Furyk announced his three picks in Philadelphia.

The tepid applause that greeted Patrick Reed on the first tee made it clear he wasn’t the people’s choice.

Kevin Markham is disappointed Justin Thomas felt the need to apologise to a fan who abused him last week. Where does this new problem for golfers begin and end?

Captain Jim Furyk believes the United States have “25 years of scars” to overcome to retain the Ryder Cup in Paris next year.

With another US victory in the Presidents Cup, the Ryder Cup is officially on the clock. September 28, Day One of the competition next year, can’t come soon enough. But in the meantime, Team Europe’s captain Thomas Bjorn should be afraid. He should be very afraid. Just ask International Team captain Nick Price.

Kevin Markham takes a look at the Royal Birkdale as the course prepares to host The Open Championship.

Phil's brother Tim will take over from Mackay, nicknamed 'Bones', and carry his bag for the rest of the PGA Tour campaign.

Pádraig Harrington insists that temperamental Thomas Bjorn will not be a liability as Ryder Cup captain and conceded that his own captaincy ambitions will have to be reviewed if he’s not to miss the boat in 2020 or 2022.

Rory McIlroy feels the PGA of America were probably making use of their home advantage at Hazeltine National after Europe were beaten by the United States in the Ryder Cup.

If you were only interested in the final outcome of the Ryder Cup, then this one was pretty much decided as early as last Friday morning once Europe lost the opening series of foursomes to the USA 4-0.

Rory McIlroy said he needed a paracetamol after a raucous Saturday’s play in the cauldron that was Hazeltine National but you got the feeling that Darren Clarke had the bigger headache because of his underperforming captain’s picks.

Do you remember these Ryder Cup moments?

Colin Montgomerie has been involved in enough Ryder Cups to know the value of a rookie.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

Darren Clarke last night hit back at Johnny Miller’s criticism of his European Ryder Cup team, pouring scorn on the American’s assertion it was the worst in years.

No-one should underestimate the importance of next Tuesday in the golfing life of Darren Clarke, because it is then that he will have to reveal his hand.

The sight of European big guns limping over the finish line early on Sunday at the Masters need not necessarily give Ryder Cup team captain Darren Clarke cause for panic five months out from the 41st match-up at Hazeltine.

One of the biggest stars of Irish golf, Christy O’Connor Jnr, has been remembered as a gentleman and sporting inspiration after he died on holiday in Tenerife.

Rory McIlroy was taken by surprise when told of Tiger Woods’s appointment as a 2016 Hazeltine Ryder Cup vice-captain.

Graeme McDowell may be experiencing patchy form on the golf course in 2015, but he can console himself with accumulated profits, at his commercial firm, topping $12m (€10.68m).

Being Ryder Cup captain means showing faith in your big gun and both 2014 skipper Paul McGinley and 2016 European boss Darren Clarke had sympathy for a struggling Rory McIlroy.

Who would have succeeded in a golfing rivalry between Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods is a debate that has stirred at a thousand clubhouse bars more than 15 years, but Graeme McDowell believes the game’s next giants will turn the hypothetical into reality.

Darren Clarke’s Ryder Cup captaincy took off at Heathrow Airport yesterday with the newly appointed European skipper insisting as matey as he is with his potential team members, he will not shirk the tough decisions.