Pádraig Harrington insists he’s not the man to lead Europe in Paris
The Dubliner, 45, was one of Darren Clarke’s five vice-captains at Hazeltine National but he says he’s determined to win his seventh Ryder Cup cap as a player at Le Golf National in two years’ time rather than become the third successive Irish skipper after Paul McGinley and Clarke. Asked his intentions for the 2018 Ryder Cup, Harrington said: “I want to play in 2018. That’s where I stand.”
You can’t get a much clearer statement of intent than that and as he moved quickly away, it was obvious he did not want to get into a series of hypothetical questions about what might make him change his mind.
However, the reasons for Harrington’s reluctance are three fold.
Not only has he been seen up close as a vice captain at Gleneagles and Hazeltine the huge burdens the captain must bear, he’s also aware that winning would add little to his legacy while a defeat could be damaging.
Most importantly, as far as 2018 goes, he wants to keep playing and given the demands placed on the captain, he would to all effects, be ending his competitive career prematurely.
His two-year exemption for winning the 2015 Honda Classic does not run out until the end of 2017 and should he fail to keep his PGA Tour card, he has won enough cash — he’s 38th in the Career Money List with $24,512,013 (€21,876,578) — to have the option of availing of a Career Earnings exemption in 2018.
After that, given his status as a three time major winner, he could command almost unlimited invitations until the end of the 2019 season, when he will be 48.
He might be ideally placed to take the job at the age of 49 in 2020, when it goes to the Irish Courses at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, or in 2022 when it is in Rome.
Rory McIlroy certainly didn’t sound hugely positive about Harrington doing the job when asked his preference for the 2018 captaincy.
“Jeez, I don’t know,” McIlroy said. “I really don’t know. It depends who feels like they are ready for it.
“You’ve got someone like a Lee Westwood, you’ve got Thomas Bjorn, you’ve got Pádraig obviously. He might be trying to go for it. But that would be three Irish captains in a row and I don’t know how that would feel.
“Any one of those guys who are there could do it — we obviously need a captain, we need a leader — but honestly, the culture of the European team of including everyone in the process means it could be any one of a number of guys, I think.”
Those close to Harrington say that if he had his choice, he’d love to see Adare Manor awarded the 2026 staging and do it there at the age of 55. But while JP McManus had inside the ropes access at Hazeltine last week, no official bid has yet been made public by the European Tour.
Meanwhile, Graeme McDowell yesterday backed Harrington to become the 2018 Ryder Cup golf captain.
“He’s certainly got the playing credentials.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
