Henrik Stenson Ready To Again Leap In Favour Of Monty As 2014 Gleneagles Captain

With opinion mounting in favour of Colin Montgomerie’s return to the Ryder Cup captaincy, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson is prepared to again leap to his feet in favour of the Scot at next week’s Ryder Cup captaincy selection meeting in Abu Dhabi.

Three years ago it was Stenson who turned the Ryder Cup captaincy meeting around in Monty being awarded the 2010 Celtic Manor leadership role.

Stenson, as a member of the Tournament Players Committee, pointed the finger at Monty and declared to the committee:  “We have to appoint Monty”.

Henrik Stenson ready to again leap to Monty’s support for 2014 Ryder Cup captain. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)

The committee members looked at each other and then asked Monty to leave the committee room within the 7-star Emirates Palace Hotel and Monty returned some 30 minutes later from that now famous ‘toilet break’ as the 2010 Celtic Manor captain.Now Stenson is prepared to again back Monty at next Tuesday’s Gleneagles decider in Abu Dhabi.

“Looking back on that meeting I guess it was me who proposed Monty even though the committee at the time was considering other players,” said Stenson here in Durban.

“The Ryder Cup is hugely important to the players, to the captain and to the European Tour so we still have to try and pick the best man to get behind the wheel as the captain.

“I would have thought Darren (Clarke) and Paul (McGinley) are the two nominees but there has been some information in the last couple of days that we might consider it differently so I still think it’s more open.

“We all know Monty’s passion for the Ryder Cup and the effort he put into the captaincy in 2010, and I am sure he would do the same and maybe more this time around if he was to be asked.

“So that might be a possible scenario and we will have to wait to see what the Committee thinks.”

Prior to this week’s initial 2013 event in Durban it was Paul McGinley seen as the likely successor, and also the first-ever Irish-born Ryder Cup captain.

McGinley has never known defeat having been on three straight winning European Ryder Cup sides along with being a vice-captain under Monty and Olazabal.

As well, McGinley has led two GB & I Vivendi Seve Trophy sides to success.

However Stenson believes McGinley, like Scotland’s own double Major winning Sandy Lyle, may just have to learn to live with not being awarded the European Team captaincy.

“Whether Gleneagles is Paul’s only chance, I am not too sure,” said Stenson

“I don’t think Paul should feel extremely bad if he was not appointed.

“But on Paul’s side he has done all that prep work as a vice captain and at the Seve Trophy but at the end of the day if it’s your turn, it’s your turn and sometimes you have to accept the committee’s decision.

“There are a lot of other great European players who have not been appointed European Ryder Cup captain.”

 



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