Reed rages at Furyk’s pairings

playing record and because everyone over there likes him,” said McIlroy. “Padraig has a connection with the fans over there and he has won USPGA Championships and won there a few times.

“The great thing about European sides is the continuity and the fact that the vice-captains play a role a few years in advance of taking the captaincy, so they are prepared for it. Thomas did it for a while and was a great captain.”

Harrington, who would line up against home-state boy Steve Stricker, above, in Wisconsin if handed the position, has been a vice-captain for the past three Ryder Cups.

“I’d love to be a Ryder Cup captain. I’d love to bring my thoughts to the game,” he said. “But it’s an interesting one because I wouldn’t do it without a certain amount of trepidation.

“It’s a tough job. Unfortunately, the captain gets judged on results rather than anything else. I wouldn’t go into it lightly but, on balance, yes I want to be a Ryder Cup captain.”

Bjorn, who has yet to decide if he wants to be part of the next captain’s backroom staff, is behind Harrington. “He’d be brilliant. He has got the tools and the knowledge,” he said.

A committee of five, including the three most recent captains, European Tour chief Keith Pelley and a players’ representative, will make the decision in December.