Smyth relishes return to Cup spotlight

Des Smyth spoke yesterday ofhis delight at being thrust back into the Ryder Cup limelight after he was named by fellow Irishman Paul McGinley as a Team Europe vice-captain for this September’s matches against the USA at Gleneagles, Scotland.

Smyth, 61, spent the last three Ryder Cups watching avidly from his sofa, having believed his role as a vice-captain to Ian Woosnam at the K Club in 2006 was his final bow in golf’s most gladiatorial arena.

“I didn’t think this would come round to me again,” Smyth revealed yesterday. “After 2006, I thought that was my swansong. I’ve been a pro 41 years but after ‘06, I felt I was stepping off a really big stage. Now I’m back.”

McGinley, 47, said he had no hesitation in naming both Smyth, his mentor as a young professional on the European tour, and Sam Torrance, his first Ryder Cup captain in 2002 when he sank the winning putt, as his first two vice-captains and would use both men as sounding boards for his ideas as he bids to make it three Ryder Cups in a row for Europe this autumn.

“They’re more than mates, to be honest,” Dubliner McGinley said.

“I’ve known Des since I was 17. He was very much a mentor for me when I came out on Tour. He was the same with Darren [Clarke] and Pádraig [Harrington]. When we came on Tour, he was very much looking after the younger guys and keeping an eye out for us. If you had a problem with putting, or your attitude went a little off, he’d quickly pull you aside and say ‘this is what’s done’. He’s always been a guy with a great voice of reason. I think we all were so lucky to have such help with our careers... lucky to have that guy on the Tour every week, someone who could pull you aside and set you straight. I like to think I do that now with some of the younger Irish guys on Tour, though obviously, my role now is Ryder Cup captain.”