Harrington determined to carry on as a player

Irishman expects to make next Ryder Cup team ... but as a player, not captain

Padraig Harrington has reiterated his intention to be a player rather than Europe’s captain in the next Ryder Cup.

Harrington, who was a vice-captain in 2014 and 2016, said in the immediate aftermath of the 17-11 defeat at Hazeltine that he wanted to play at Le Golf National in Paris in 2018.

The three-time major winner had no reason to change his mind after claiming a first European Tour title since 2008 in the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura on Sunday.

“(With) the Ryder Cup, Paul McGinley kind of changed the parameters,” the 45-year-old Dubliner said.

“It took three-and-a-half years out of Paul McGinley’s life.

“It certainly took two years out of Darren Clarke’s playing career. “I want to be a player. “If I go for the captaincy nobody is going to give me back the 45th and 46th years in terms of my playing career.

“It’s a huge sacrifice and as much as I would love to be Ryder Cup captain, selfishly I want to be a golfer.

“I want to compete and win tournaments, so I’m going to push it down the road.

“Hopefully I will get an opportunity down the road.

“At the moment I am focused on playing.

“Whether it’s a reality or not or whether it’s a possibility, in my head I am going to make the Ryder Cup team in 2018.”

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn, who has been a vice-captain on four occasions, is the favourite to be appointed captain by a panel made up of the three most recent skippers (Clarke, McGinley and José María Olazábal), European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley and players’ committee representative Henrik Stenson.

A decision is expected later this year or in early 2017.

Picture: Getty Images. Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington is not quite ready to put away his clubs to take on the Ryder Cup captaincy.