Jacklin urges Europe’s Young Guns to make Stenson’s job simpler
Nobody knows better than Tony Jacklin what is required to steer Europe to Ryder Cup success.
The Godfather of European captains was the man who wrestled back control from the USA in the 1980s with those famous victories at The Belfry and Muirfield Village.
But for all the skills Jacklin brought to the captaincy, he knows he could not have done it without players like Seve Ballesteros, Sandy Lyle, Sir Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer and Ian Woosnam.
So no matter how well Henrik Stenson settles into the role for the match in Italy next year, he will stand or fall by the quality of players at his disposal.
This marks the end of the Swede’s time in the team, and it could be the same for other Ryder Cu p stalwarts such as Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and even Sergio Garcia.
Jacklin is therefore challenging Scotland’s Bob Macintyre – and the other emerging names in European golf – to take their games to the next level, and fill the void.
“It’s time for some of these young bucks to step up to the plate and show what they are made of,” he told The Sunday Post.
“The likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton. We need to see a Major Championship out of some of these guys.
“There are the twins from Denmark, Nicolai and Rasmus Ho jg a a rd. Along with Bob Mcintyre, they need to come up and take the place of Poulter, Garcia and the rest.
“We need that young blood to come through.
“Confidence is everything in sport, and these lads – from their own careers’ standpoint and not just the Ryder Cup – need to raise their game and aspire to bigger and better things. The drawback these days is you can make an unbelievable living just by being a decent player. You don’t have to be great to make a lucrative living.
“Some of them take their foot off the gas, and it’s a case of: ‘Never mind, I’ve only made $ 2- million this year, instead of $5m’.
“It’s a different world to the one I knew. I had to take a run at the Majors as they were the important tournaments.” Stenson’s task is to rebuild after the record 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits last September, and ensure Europe’s proud home record continues.
The Swede – Open Champion at Royal Troon in 2016 – won all three of the home matches he played in at The K Club, Gleneagles and Le Golf National.
And by the time the Americans turn up at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club outside Rome, it will be 30 years since they last tasted victory on this side of the Atlantic. But Stenson, who fought off competition from Paul Lawrie, Luke Donald and Robert Karlsson to land the top job, was a vice captain at Whistling Straits, and will have seen first-hand the quality and exuberance of the American side, with eight players under 30 and Dustin Johnson the veteran at 37.
The bulk of that team will be reunited in Rome, which will not make Stenson’s job of regaining the Ryder Cup an easy one.
So Jacklin is adamant that Stenson must have more picks at his disposal.
He used the wildcard system to get Faldo, Lyle and Langer in his teams at various points to give Europe the best possible chance.
Padraig Harrington had three picks, compared to six for Steve Stricker, a model which new US captain, Zach Johnson, is happy to follow.
“I’ve always been an advocate of captain’s picks,” said Jacklin. “Back when I did it, I increased the picks as I wanted to know I had the best players available.
“That is what Steve Stricker did, and that move on its own was incredibly powerful.
“He picked all the young guys and they got the job done.
“We had four players in their forties, and you just can’t keep relying on experience. It’s an everchanging situation as there are new guys coming up constantly.
“Europe were out- manoeuvred by the Americans in that regard, so you would imagine Stenson will look at more picks.”