UP FOR BEING A RYDERCAPTAIN? OF COURSE I AM
GOLF LATEST Padraig wants quick decision on skipper’s role and a neutral layout
PADRAIG HARRINGTON believes a neutral figure should be in charge of course set-up for the Ryder Cup – but concedes it is not likely to happen any time soon.
Three-time Major winner Harrington is odds-on favourite to succeed Thomas Bjorn as Ryder Cup captain at Whistling Straits in 2020 as Europe seek to defend the trophy they won in emphatic fashion in Paris.
And the Irishman would like to know if he is the preferred choice for Europe as soon as possible because the situation is getting too awkward.
It promises to be a tough task as home advantage takes on increasing significance, with Europe’s win in 2012 the only success by an away side in the last seven biennial contests against the United States.
Ahead of this week’s Turkish Airlines Open, Harrington said: “It is called the Miracle of Medinah. It’s not impossible to win away but does give a distinct advantage to the home team.
“I keep getting asked about the captaincy and I’m trying to say it hasn’t been decided but once you start talking about it, it starts looking like I think I am.
“It puts me in an awkward position, so I’d prefer clarity.”
Asked if the set-up of Ryder Cup venues should be taken out of the hands of the home captain, Harrington added: “I think down the road, yes. At Hazeltine (in 2016) they had a stats guy come in and he said: ‘We make more birdies than the Europeans, make this into a birdie-fest and we should win.’
“We knew going into France, make par be very precious and Europe will have an advantage and it proved that way.
“I don’t see it changing. I might have started the conversation off but it will take 20, 30, 40 years to move to a neutral set-up.”
The good news for Harrington, if he does become captain for 2020, is two-fold.
Firstly, he believes home advantage could be partially negated by the nature of Whistling Straits. And secondly his style of captaincy is likely to resemble that of Bernhard Langer, who led Europe to a record victory at Oakland Hills in 2004.
Harrington added: “The American players aren’t that happy it’s at Whistling Straits because it is a links-style course.”