Levy gives Ryder reminder

European captain Thomas Bjorn would love to have a Frenchman in his side when the Ryder Cup gets under way in Paris in September – and Alexander Levy is making a strong case for inclusion.

The 27-year-old showed what a great player he is by winning the Hassan Trophy in Morocco on Sunday to boost his chances of making Bjorn’s final 12.

Every European Ryder Cup captain will want a player from the host nation because it helps get the country behind the team.

Thomas will want the best 12 players but if Levy narrowly misses out on qualification I’m sure he would be in with a strong chance of landing one of the four wildcards.

I know the pressure he is facing as it was exactly the same when I was trying to make the team for Gleneagles four years ago. He is ninth in the European points list and generally to qualify for the team you need to win a couple of events or one really big event.

Alexander is an aggressive player who is very good at closing out a win when he gets the chance. They are great qualities for matchplay golf.

There is a long way to go before this year’s team is confirmed but I’m not surprised Padraig Harrington has thrown his hat in the ring for the 2020 European captaincy.

He has the credentials. He has won three majors, played in six Ryder Cups and was a vice-captain at Gleneagles and Hazeltine. He would be a great captain in America because he has played a lot of golf there and won the US PGA Championship.

I remember speaking to him in 2014 at Gleneagles when he was considering whether the captaincy would be for him. He was brilliant with the team there and I think he has always fancied it since then.

I’m sure he would love to have captained the team in 2026 if Adare Manor in Ireland was named as the host venue but by that stage there will be players such as Graeme McDowell, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter who will also be in the frame. He has decided 2020 might be the time for him or he could miss out.

I’m back in Scotland after a mixed week in Morocco at the Hassan Trophy. My first round was probably the best I have played all year. The second round was the opposite and one of those days when nothing went my way. It was the first cut I have missed for a while. I have been down to see my short-game coach Phil Kenyon this week, so hopefully that poor second round turns out to be a blessing in disguise.

“He showed what a great player he is by winning the Hassan Trophy in Morocco”

RYDER CUP HOPES: For French golfer Alexander Levy