McGinley resigns as Faldo lieutenant

Paul McGinley today stood down as an assistant to Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo - four months after sitting alongside him and saying “what a great honour” it was.

Faldo confirmed McGinley’s resignation on the eve of leading a Britain and Ireland team against Continental Europe in the Seve Trophy at The Heritage west of Dublin.

But, despite stories in Irish newspapers of Faldo snubbing McGinley by naming England’s Simon Dyson and Scot Marc Warren as his two wild cards for this week’s match, Faldo said the decision had nothing to do with that.

“From the very start he was concerned about the workload – the bottom line is that he wants to play,” stated Faldo.

McGinley and Jose Maria Olazabal, two members of last year’s winning side, were named as Faldo’s two deputies in May, although both made it clear then they still wanted to be part of the 2008 team in Louisville.