Europe can win without Clarke: McGinley

Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley is backing Europe’s golfers to continue their domination of the American team despite disagreeing with captain Nick Faldo’s decision to leave out Darren Clarke.

McGinley, a three-time winner of the Ryder Cup who sank the winning putt at The Belfry in 2002, was surprised Faldo gave his wild card picks to Paul Casey and Ian Poulter ahead of Clarke for the showdown at Valhalla in Louisville, Kentucky, from September 19-21.

“I thought Darren had done enough to make the pick and I was surprised he didn’t get it,” said McGinley.

“I’m disappointed for Darren because he really wanted to play and really felt he deserved a spot.

“But, at the same time, it’s not like he’s picked two duds; he’s picked two very, very strong players who will not let the team down.”

The 41-year-old Dubliner player, who misses out on his fourth Ryder Cup after three successive victories, recognised the dilemma facing Faldo, who had an assortment of riches when it came to the final choice.

“He was in a position where he had a few players to pick from,” said McGinley. “It’s like a soccer manager having to pick from a full squad. It’s always a good problem and Nick had the same issue,” added McGinley at Wentworth where he conducted the Sure for Men coaching day.

“Although I’m disappointed for Darren, he’s picked two guys who I’m sure will be more than capable of playing a big role in the European team.

“He felt that Poulter and Casey were going to give him more, it’s his prerogative,” said McGinley, whose own bid to make the team fell short.

Instead he will take his wife on holiday to the south of France.

“I’m not a great watcher of golf on TV; I won’t watch it all but I’ll pick up bits and watch the last day.

“The last one I watched was 1999 so it’s going to be really tough. All the emotion, with people talking about it now, and the fact I’m not going to be involved, it’s hard. It will be tougher and tougher as it gets closer but I haven’t any complaints.

“I got near enough to the team but not really close to it,” added McGinley, who felt he was still in contention after being runner-up to Clarke in Holland two weeks ago.

“I thought if I won last week at Gleneagles I might still have a chance. I’d come second the week before in Holland and eighth the week before that in Sweden but I really suffered this year by not being in the major championships.

“I wasn’t in the British Open, I wasn’t in the PGA, I wasn’t in the European Open, I wasn’t in the Masters, I wasn’t in the World events, except one, so I had a big disadvantage in terms of trying to make it on points.

“Those guys were eligible for 60, 70, 80 million dollars of prize money that I wasn’t. It was going to be a tough ask for me not having the big cheques to propel me up the rankings and, despite a number of top 10s, I didn’t manage to come through.”

Despite not making the team, McGinley insisted he made the right decision when he gave up his role as vice-captain to Faldo in order to bid for more glory as a player.

He said: “No regrets at all. In order to give myself the best opportunity of wiping the slate clean by focusing myself on just being a player, I needed to do that and Nick Faldo knows that more than anyone else.

“I didn’t quite make it but I came close enough. I’d have liked to have had another month of qualifying because I think my game is starting to come round and in another month’s time I’d have had a good chance,” he claimed.

Captaining the Ryder Cup team is something McGinley fancies for the future - but he still has ambitions to be involved as a player.

“I believe there’s maybe one or two Ryder Cups left in me and I want to give 100% to my chances of playing. I really enjoyed my three experiences of playing and I want more,” he said.

Despite Faldo’s controversial selection, McGinley confidently expects Europe to beat the USA again.

“I don’t think it will be a thrashing but I think we’ll win. Our team’s very strong and I have a lot of faith in the guys who are playing,” he added.