Padraig Harrington Was A Tough Call For Captain Ollie; Well Not Really

Oh, the phone call was painful, implied European Ryder Cup Captain Jose Maria Olazabal but Harrington was not even on his radar according to this unbylined Scotsman item.

However, he insisted the Irishman could have no complaints after finishing 19th on the European points list at the end of a year-long qualifying campaign. “I felt I had to make the phone call to Padraig more than anyone else,” said Olazabal, who also got in touch with David Lynn, Rafael Cabrero-Bello, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Alvaro Quiros after they’d fallen just short as well. “Padraig is a very good player, but you could also say that about the likes of Paul Casey, Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson, other former Ryder Cup players. The fact is that he [Harrington] didn’t perform well enough. He’s a great champion, but Thomas [Bjorn] was also ahead of him on the list.”

So Padraig was always behind Bjorn and Olazabal is lumping him in with Casey (injured), Stenson (111th in the world) and Karlsson (swing yips).

It's a shame he's got four cart drivers already, as future captain Harrington would have looked great behind the wheel of a Club Car!

Comments

[Ruediger]

That was a shameful comment by Olazabal. How can anyone in their right mind have Harrington behind Björn and put them in the company with Paul "11 MCs" Casey? It clearly shows that despite what he is saying, he still has an agenda against the Irishman. Man up!

[Golfin Dolphin]

He meant that Harrington was still behind Bjorn in the Ryder Cup points standings, which is true.

http://www.rydercup.com/2012/europe/team/team_standings.cfm

[Ghillie]

And the idea of Padraig on a cart is ludicrous. Get over it: he is (often) a great player, and few on the European Tour have ever worked harder. But he is not natural Ryder Cup material, and he will never play another one without qualifying.

Bjorn's hopes were addressed when he was offered and acccepted the vice-captaincy. It's players like the three young Spaniards, and Lynn and Donaldson, who were longshots. Harrington's last shot was at the Barclay's, and he hardly amde his case. Monty would have been more in the conversation over the weekend. But with 11 veterans, JMO clearly thought he could deal with a rookie with a disparate set of useful qualities, including no ostensible fear of America or Americans.

It's a pretty good team. Kaymer the current question mark, but we shall see. JMO can bnot be unpleased about Lawrie's form, and this is a good match player.

Still, they face a team of giants -- even with only 2/3 of them known. Looks like it should be a good one if that course is all right.

[Troublelove]

Paddy a natural Ryder Cup captain? Hmm, we'll see.

[bayhill bogey]

Tlove - you can't be serious. Do you think Padraig won't be a RC Captain?? He is the only Euro with 3 Major wins in the last 25 years. He is a lock whenever he wants to be the Captain

[Hawkeye]

The only question mark regarding future RC captains is 2014. Clarke is "next in line", but has said that his dislike of Gleneagles might make him unsuitable there. That's why a repeat appearence by Monty isn't all that far-fetched, being a Scot and all. But after that it's likely Clarke in ´16, Harrington in ´18 and Westwood in ´20.

[Media maven]

The wild cards should be equal==2,3 or 4 each side. they were created because Euro had many top players on US tour and not earning points in their standings, which is still the case. No real reason for US to have any. It doesn't feel like a fair fight, but each side can make its own rules...would be better if they were the same with respect to the picks.

[DTF]

Bjorn had 3 wins in 2011 and has 6 top10's this year....how the heck is he not on the team to start with?!?

[digsouth]

That is what I couldn't get about Bjorn...or as Paddie would say...seriously?

[Stiggy]

DTF / digsouth, most of 2011 did not count for the European qualification. For both the European points piece or the World Points piece the points accumulation didnt start until after the USPGA championship in 2011. Bjorn won the first 2 events after that but then essentially did nothing in 2012. His 2 wins were worth 44 and 24. So 68 of his 129 points came in 2 events more than a year before the Ryder Cup. the same is true of Kaymer who won a WGC event worth 64 in week 45 and came 2nd in the Omega European Master (worth 26.4) in week 36.

[Press Agent]

Paddy has sharpened his game up nicely in the last while, but people seem to forget he really went wayward there for a while. At one time he was the deadliest putter from inside 12 feet anywhere, it was almost automatic, but his putting and short game went away when he got so lost with his long game. I like Paddy a lot, but IMO he would have been a bit risky - he could go wayward again at any time.

[bs]

Chuck in the fact that Harrington has not won half a point outside foursomes since 2004 despite being ever-present from 2006-2010 and it would seem that for all his merits as Europe's most successful golfer after the Faldo/Ballesteros generation the Ryder Cup does not get the best from him. Olazabal was right not to pick him, but could have been more chivalrous about it.

[Peter Norrie]

@Hawkeye, Don't you think Paul Lawrie will be considered for the job at Gleneagles? Surely we won't have to suffer Monty again?

[Ghillie]

I would have thought the choice of Lawrie might raise a lot of hackles from people with a bit more RC history. He is making his second appearance after 13 years. This is one place where Bjorn perhaps ought to be in the mix.

Still, it might look nasty -- the Euros had a way of picking major winners until Lyle got left out, and to leave out another Scottish major winner (for a Scotland-located RC) might begin to look like a trend! However, I think any relationship between majors and the RC, at least for the Europeans, is irrelevant -- vide Paddy above, with his great major record and useless RC one vs. Monty, with no majors and a remarkable RC history. I think the Ryder Cup should be treated as what it is and not as some sort of payback for winning a big one, unless it coincides with a good RC history.

Lawrie can captain Seve Trophy!

[Peter Norrie]

Yes, I think Bjorn is a definite possibility. He too, has only played in two Ryder Cups but has much more experience as a cart driver!

[Hawkeye]

I admit that I might have overlooked Lawrie, yes. But I think he might be a bit too low-key to be a Ryder Cup captain. Most of the good captains have had good leadership qualities, and Lawrie feels like more of an introvert. And if Björn hadn't imploded in the bunker at Royal S:t Georges in 2003, he would definitely have been a lock for captaincy, but I have my doubts as to whether we'll see a non-British, non-major winner as captain. But I might be wrong, I would have nothing against either of them!

[Ghillie]

Bjorn might as well be British. That accent of his comes straight out of the north of England.

He somehow seems very Ryder Cup.

[Kieran]

Bjorn is chair of the Euro Tour player committee (or certainly was in the past), seems to be popular with other players, which gives him a certain amount of influence and seems to one of the criteria for selection as a captain if you haven't won a major e.g. Sam Torrance. Paul McGinley may even get a chance of captaining at Gleneagles, as he's captained GB&I in the last two Seve Trophies, he's been an assistant twice now at the RC, decent RC record too (3 winning teams I think) and his face seems to fit, so that's decided then, McGinley 2014, Darren Clarke in 2016 and Harrington in 2018 ;)

[Manos]

Well that's two porkies Olazabal's already told. First was telling everyone he called Colsaerts on Sunday night, which was news to Colsaerts in the presser. Second porky now with Harrington. Not a good start for the Spaniard. He needs lessons from Monty on how to improve his lies.

[Ghillie]

They'll never put Harrington in France...

[Stord]

Manos, that last sentence was brilliant!

[Big Al]

Ghillie: I guess you want to re-write history with who you pick for RC Captain???

[Ghillie]

I think they might try to find a Continental player for France. Which right now would probably mean Bjorn.

But there are years before even the next decision, so we'll wait and see. Like, whether Harrington ever plays RC again...