Harrington’s dig at Garcia dents his captaincy hopes
If the unthinkable happens and a three-time major champion never gets to be europe’s Ryder Cup captain, Padraig harrington will surely look back with profound regret on a fateful interview he gave to Irish radio last week.
We all love the Dubliner’s honesty but what on earth possessed him to think that last week, of all weeks, was a good time to open old wounds and reveal candid thoughts about Sergio Garcia? how could a man who gets so much right get this one so wrong?
even tiger Woods — the player who probably dislikes the Spaniard more than anybody — tweeted his congrats on Garcia’s Masters victory — or someone wisely tweeted it for him. It was, quite plainly, a feelgood story close to perfection.
And then we had one discordant voice. One man who preferred to dwell on those times when Garcia undoubtedly let down both himself and his sport.
Specifically, at the Open in 2007 and the US PGA Championship in 2008, when the pair battled down the stretch, harrington came out on top, and Garcia was not exactly Justin Rose-like in defeat.
‘I’m very strong on etiquette, so I don’t tolerate people spitting in the hole, throwing their shoes, or throwing golf clubs,’ said 45-yearold harrington, detailing some of Garcia’s past indiscretions.
‘that would be my attitude and it would be quite clear where I came from. then we went into the majors and I beat him. I gave him every out I possibly could. I was as polite and generous as I could be but he was a very sore loser.
‘So clearly, after that, we had a very sticky wicket. the Ryder Cup improved it but we say hello to each other through gritted teeth, there is no doubt about it.’
Is this really what we wanted to hear after Augusta from a prospective Ryder Cup captain who might skipper Garcia one day?
to be fair, in the interview with 2fM, harrington also said he was happy for Garcia and his family, and that he had clearly paid his dues. But there was such a jarring lack of judgment in his overall assessment that there is a worry it will come back to haunt him.
europe is not exactly short of captaincy material. harrington is a leading contender for 2020 and 2022 but Lee Westwood will be captain for one of those and two more certainties — henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter — will both be 46 by the time of the latter match in Rome.
It is some way from a done deal, therefore, and judgment calls like last week’s do nothing for harrington’s cause.