Skip’s counting on Major swing
Harrington believes Europe will have more Slam winners in ranks by time of Ryder Cup
PADRAIG HARRINGTON isn’t fazed by his Ryder Cup rivals collecting Majors – because he reckons it’s a case of when not if his guys start stacking them up.
Bryson DeChambeau’s US Open victory last week means the top six in the US rankings who would automatically qualify for the showpiece as of today are all Major winners.
By comparison, of the players who would currently earn a spot in Harrington’s European line-up – before captain’s picks – just Rory McIlroy and Danny Willett have clinched one of the big four prizes.
Shane Lowry and Francesco Molinari are the only Europeans to have won a Major in the last three years, with Americans mopping up the rest.
Not that Harrington is all that worried a year out from the rescheduled Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, with Jon Rahm and McIlroy inside the top four in the world.
The Irishman, who will go up against Steve Stricker, said: “Sometimes I think, ‘Gee whiz, the US players are in great form when you look at the present state of the rankings’.
“Other weeks, you look at Rory and Jon leading the way. It’s swings and roundabouts.”
Being a Major champion is not a prerequisite to becoming a great Ryder Cup player.
Lee Westwood’s record of 10 appearances and seven wins in the biennial blockbuster proves as much.
Then again, Harrington isn’t hiding the fact he would love to call upon as many Major winners as possible Stateside.
He said: “It’s great to have Major winners in the team.
“They carry a lot of weight when it comes to leading the rest of the team, they carry a little intimidation on the course, players of stature that the rookies look up to.
“The good thing is we’ve got European players who are so close to becoming multiple Major champions. Jon, we assume, will go on to win many Majors and I’d put Tommy Fleetwood in that category too.
“Tommy will carry the pressure and burden for a year or two before he’s more comfortable but he’s still young and working out what’s best to win Majors.
“His game is already good enough to win – it’s about finding his place at the Majors.”
Harrington, a three-time Major winner himself, will be in Irish Open action tomorrow as the European Tour tees up in Galgorm, Northern Ireland.