Ryder Cup points a priority

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON is desperate to end a nightmare run of Ryder Cup form that has seen him contribute just two halves from his last nine encounters.

The Stackstown man hasn’t won a full point since he beat Jay Haas in the singles at Oakland Hills in 2004 and he’s keen to stop the rot when he wins his sixth cap at Celtic Manor in October.

“I have no idea what my overall Ryder Cup record is exactly, but I know it’s turned into a negative recently,” Harrington said. “I definitely shot fewer 63s than I shot when I started off and I haven’t developed the match play game for a while.

“The goal will be to turn it around this time and make my record positive again. I will have a good chance to get my record back to even.”

While Europe crushed the US at The K Club in 2006, Harrington was jaded and failed to sparkle. He was also shattered after two major wins in 2008 and when he got to Valhalla he failed to lead Nick Faldo’s side from the front.

Confessing he’s a different player now, he said: “Certainly, it was easier playing a Ryder Cup a few years ago where you are just one of the guys on the team. The last couple of years it has been tougher. I haven’t been one of the better players and I haven’t developed a leadership sort of role. I think we were missing that the last time. Myself and Lee Westwood didn’t do what Monty or even Darren does in the locker room. The last time Nick Faldo wanted us to prepare like we do for individual tournaments. It was a valid effort but I don’t think it worked.”