Riding shotgun set me up nicely for the captaincy
The Dubliner, three times a winner as a player for captains Sam Torrance, Bernhard Langer and Ian Woosnam, and an assistant to victorious skippers Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal, feels he has gained invaluable experience to keep the winning run going on his watch as his European team bids for a hat-trick of successive victories from tomorrow. The 47-year-old’s opposite number Tom Watson, 18 years his senior, has also had a great run of success, never been on a losing side in four appearances as a play and one as captain, yet admitted on Tuesday he has not even attended a Ryder Cup since he captained the USA team to victory in 1993.
Asked if that meant advantage Europe in the captaincy stakes, McGinley said: “Well, I can’t speak for Tom but what I can say is that no doubt, I’ve been very lucky to be riding shotgun on this great ride of success we’ve had in Europe. I’ve been riding shotgun on that three times as a player and twice as a vice captain. I’ve learned so much from every one of those experiences and every one of those captains. I see the template that’s in place.
