Furyk counts ‘gentleman’ McGinley as friend

Here’s a golfing trivia question for you: Who was Paul McGinley’s opponent when the Irishman holed the winning putt at the 2002 Ryder Cup?

Nearly 14 years after being the USA team member to ‘lose’ the Ryder Cup, Jim Furyk still speaks kindly of McGinley as one of his good friends. While McGinley was making his Ryder Cup debut at The Belfry, Furyk had played on the previous two USA teams, losing in 1997 but winning in 1999, before also going on to play in every Ryder Cup since.

He played against McGinley again in the biannual competition at the K Club in 2006. This time he teamed up with Tiger Woods to defeat McGinley and Pádraig Harrington 3&2 in the Saturday foursomes.

“I know Paul McGinley pretty well and I consider him a friend,” said Furyk ahead of this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

“It wasn’t a surprise to me earlier last year when he was appointed the new European Ryder Cup captain, and while I really don’t pay attention as to who is next in line over in Europe, Paul’s choice was not a shock to me.

“Of course, Paul and I played against each other in the Sunday Singles and the Belfry matches back in ’02. He knocked in that 12-footer for par on the 18th to halve the hole and halve the match, and that was the half point that got Europe to 14 points and that’s when the place erupted with me standing there on the green.

“But then Paul is really a true gentleman and I’ve since got to see Paul a lot, and come to know him better. So I know he’s going to have his team in great shape come September.”