‘An absolute disgrace’ if McGinley loses out
O’Connor, who believes the exclusion of McGinley would represent an ‘anti-Irish bias’, is concerned at mounting support for Colin Montgomerie to again lead the continent next year against Tom Watson’s USA.
Reports from British media sources over the last 24 hours indicated an ‘extremely high level of confidence’ in the Scottish man’s camp for the coveted role which will be decided in Abu Dhabi today.
McGinley, the Dublin native who holed the winning putt for Europe in 2002 and was on the victorious side in his three appearances in the event, remains the bookmakers’ favourite but O’Connor Junior is concerned by the recent turn of events.
“I think it will be an absolute disgrace if McGinley doesn’t get the job and it goes to Montgomerie once again. If McGinley isn’t chosen, you have to put it down to anti-Irish bias,” said O’Connor Junior, the hero of Europe’s successful defence of the 1989 Ryder Cup at The Belfry.
“Monty had his chance, he did well, and that should be it. Does he want to be like Bernard Gallacher who’d be still there had he not eventually won after being given a third chance. When myself and other players were serious about getting the captaincy, we were told we had to be Major winners. If McGinley doesn’t get it now, well, I just don’t have words to describe it. He is just so right for the job. He was a great Seve Trophy captain and proved himself an outstanding Ryder Cup vice-captain, again one of those behind winning teams on two occasions with everyone agreeing he did an outstanding job and was hugely loyal and supportive of both Montgomerie and Jose-Maria Olazabal.”
The fact that there hasn’t been an Irish captain since players from these shores first became involved in the Ryder Cup back in 1947 has stuck in the craw of just about everyone associated with the game in this country.
“Like myself, Eamonn Darcy, Philip Walton and Paul were responsible for winning the Ryder Cup, but it seems while we’re good enough to go out and win it, we’re not good enough to captain the side”, said O’Connor. “What is supposed to be wrong with us? What is supposed to be wrong with Paul McGinley? He has proven himself over and over again. They have the right man and why they mightn’t want him, I just don’t understand.”
O’Connor also dismissed the notion that McGinley wouldn’t have the stature to “mark” a man of American captain Tom Watson’s record as an eight times Major champion.
“Tom is a good man who has achieved a lot but I took him on three times, once in the Irish Open and twice in the British Seniors and beat him each time. Paul McGinley is well capable of doing the same.”
Darren Clarke’s part in the saga is sure to come under close scrutiny no matter what the outcome of today’s deliberations. Over a year ago, he wrote to McGinley promising his support for the captaincy in 2014. He subsequently threw his hat in the ring and after the appointment of Watson suggested that Europe needed a “big name” appointment to take him on.
“Darren should never have contended against McGinley, I’m very surprised that he should have done that”, said O’Connor. “Paul was the frontrunner from day one but when he came in, it put the pressure on McGinley. For me, it has to be an Irishman this time. We have had outstanding candidates going all the way back to 1947 when we first had a player in the Ryder Cup. If it doesn’t happen, you would have to ask questions, very serious questions.”
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