Darren Clarke gives Pádraig Harrington the nod as Ryder Cup vice-captain

European captain Darren Clarke has named Thomas Bjorn, Pádraig Harrington and Paul Lawrie as three of his vice-captains for this year’s Ryder Cup.

Bjorn performed the same role alongside Clarke in 2010 and 2012, while Harrington was one of five vice-captains to Paul McGinley at Gleneagles in 2014.

Former Open champion Lawrie, who played in the defeat at Brookline in 1999 and the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012, will make his debut in the backroom staff at Hazeltine as Europe seek an unprecedented fourth straight victory and ninth in the last 11 biennial contests.