Pádraig says Olazabal ideal captain for Europe
The Spaniard has served as vice-captain under Nick Faldo in Valhalla in 2008 and again under the victorious Colin Montgomerie at Celtic Manor last year and is expected to be unveiled prior to next week’s European Tour event in Abu Dhabi.
Olazabal has been indelibly linked with the Ryder Cup ever since his debut in 1987 and forged the most successful partnership in its history alongside compatriot and another former captain Seve Ballesteros.
“I can’t say what Seve was like because I was never on a Ryder Cup team with him, but I can’t think that anybody feels any more about the Ryder Cup than Jose,” Harrington, who was a controversial captain’s pick in 2010, said.
“Mentally and emotionally it would be some week because he is incredibly passionate about it and you need a very big captain when you go to the States. It is going to be incredibly difficult for us to beat them there and for them to beat us in Europe going forward.”
Meanwhile, Harrington has warned that the Irish Open must attract a global sponsor if it’s to avoid falling down the ladder of European Tour events.
The tournament lost its backer, mobile operator 3, last November when the company made the switch to the Republic of Ireland soccer team and is still trying to find a replacement.
A prize fund of €3m for the two years during which 3 was on board will need to be mirrored if the European Tour’s finest are to continue frequenting the event, even if Harrington declared his willingness to continue playing it for a “tenner” if needs be.
“Will there be an Irish Open? Yes. Tourism Ireland are supportive, Killarney are supportive, everyone supports it, so there is going to be something in some guise. But what the players will be keen for is (a tournament) of substantial note on the European Tour.
“It has to be as good as last year and as big as last year to drive the tournament forward. We don’t want to go a step back. The players are coming back to the event, they love it and that’s where we need to keep it.
“Let’s hope a new sponsor will look to have one of the biggest events in Europe and drive it forward to get better and better over a number of years. The appetite to keep it going in two or three years time would be an issue.
“If an eastern European country comes in and says they’re going to have a €5m event and the tour has got a €2m event (in Ireland), I know where the players are going to go.”
