Skipper may split Irish stars

Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has blown the debate over Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell playing together wide open by saying there are not an unbeatable pairing.

All the chatter in the build-up to this week’s clash between Europe and the United States at Gleneagles has centred on whether the Irish duo would still be a good fit, due to McIlroy’s ongoing legal dispute with management firm Horizon, with McDowell’s business relationship with the same company dragged into the claim and counter-claim.

McGinley yesterday dismissed that as a reason not to pick the pair when the 40th Ryder Cup gets underway on Friday but instead suggested they might not be a good golfing fit.