While Paul McGinley would dearly love to be contesting this week’s PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, he has instead accepted an invitation to compete in the $US 1m Thailand Open as part of the OneAsia Tour.
And while McGinley is pleased for the competition, there was no escaping an event taking place next month in Chicago, and also answering questions relative to two years time when the Ryder Cup returns to Europe and the Gleneagles course in Scotland.
Paul McGinley's Seve Trophy leadership should see him being named 2014 Ryder Cup captain.
McGinley is a short-price favourite to lead Europe after having been a member of three winning Ryder Cup sides, and also leading GB & I to succes in consecutive Seve Trophy tournaments.
“My thoughts are that everybody is entitled to their opinion and at the end of the day it will be the Players Committee that will make the decision. Obviously a lot of people have mentioned my name and that is nice,” McGinley said.
“I have been captain of the Seve Trophy (team match between Great Britain and Ireland and Continental Europe) twice and we have been underdogs twice and managed to win twice and that was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it.
“Chris Wood (who is also playing Thailand Open) was in the team on one of those occasions.
“It is a position I have always enjoyed, but we will just have to wait and see. It is a long way down the road and it is important to stay focused on this Ryder Cup (at Medinah in late September).”
McGinley and fellow European Tour players Wood, David Howell, David Horsey and Richard Finch are in the field for the Thailand Open which tees off tomorrow (Thursday) at Suwan Golf & Country Club.
The Irishman, a four-time winner on the European Tour, has played just 10 events this year but has three top-10 finishes including third place at the recent BMW International Open in Cologne.
“I am looking forward to this week as I have always enjoyed coming to Asia,” he said.
“I have not played many tournaments this season but what I have played I have played well, so my season has gone pretty well considering I have not played that much.”
