You’re putting your legacy on the line as Ryder Cup captain – Harrington

THREE-TIME major winner Padraig Harrington believes he is putting his career on the line by taking on the Ryder Cup captaincy in 2020.

Harrington won the Open Championship in 2007 and successfully defended the title the following year before winning the US PGA Championship just three weeks later.

However, the 47-year-old is well aware of the damage a Ryder Cup defeat can do to a captain’s reputation having played under six-time major winner Sir Nick Faldo in Europe’s defeat at Valhalla in 2008.

“It’s something I did think long and hard about,” Harrington said during a press conference to announce his appointment at the European Tour’s headquarters at Wentworth.

“It’s possibly easier to be Ryder Cup captain at home, but I realise it was good timing in my career and probably the best chance for the team in an international setting, going to the US having me as captain at this time.

“Then it really came down to whether I wanted to be in the hat and put what is a successful career on the line.

“It is a different element to your career and we know a successful captain is great and a losing captain, it’s his fault. I am putting something on the line going out there.

“I’m well aware that it’s win or nothing, that’s the way it goes. You go out there and win and you’re a successful captain; you lose, you’re not. I’m aware that I could have passed up on this and just kept on going as a nice tournament golfer.

“When you’re a Ryder Cup captain, you’re putting the history of your game – your legacy – on the line.”

Harrington has served as a vice-captain at the last three Ryder Cups and appeared in the biennial contest against the United States six times as a player, beginning at Brookline in 1999. He was on the winning team in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010.

He succeeds Thomas Bjorn as captain for next year’s contest at Whistling Straits where Europe will be attempting to defend the trophy won in convincing fashion in Paris last September.

Harrington, who is currently out of action after slipping on the stairs at home over Christmas and breaking a bone in his wrist, said: “Obviously I’m thrilled to be named as Ryder Cup captain for 2020, it’s not something I went into lightly.

“You could look at this as being a natural progression from player to vice-captain to captain, but it’s not something I take on without a certain amount of trepidation.”