European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley may have to reconsider his Gleneagles vice-captains with Jose Maria Olazabal, and Europe’s victorious 2012 Medinah captain, lukewarm to idea of being a member of his support team.
McGinley’s surprise appointment of Olazabal and Scotland’s Sam Torrance as rival captains Seve Trophy captains next month in Paris is now seen by many as the first step in the pair working under McGinley as 2014 Ryder Cup vice-captains.
And while Torrance, who led Europe to victory in 2002, has warmly embraced the idea with both arms, Olazabal is not so certain.
Jose Maria Olazabal lukewarm in being a 2014 Gleneagles vice-captain. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)
Olazabal revealed he only accepted the European Team Seve Trophy captaincy role as a favour for McGinley and this was after fellow Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, and McGinley’s initial choice, approached the Irishman during last month’s PGA Championship indicating he wanted to play on the European Team at St. Nom La Breteche.
Jimenez is now assured of making the team when qualifying ends next week at the Italian Open, and it will mean the 48-year old and oldest-ever Tour winner, will hold the distinction of playing on all eight Seve Trophy sides since the inaugural event in 2000.
But while it was Olazabal who two years ago appointed McGinley as GB & I Seve Trophy captain and then as a Medinah vice-captain, the double Major winning Olazabal is very lukewarm to the idea of working under McGinley late next year in Scotland.
“Paul asked me a few days after the PGA Championship if I would do him a favour by being the European Team captain,” said Olazabal on the eve of KLM Open at Zandvoort.
“I said are you sure you don’t have anyone else in mind but Paul said that I was the only person who he could think of, so I said I would accept it.
“But I don’t know if I can answer that question if I want to be a vice-captain at Gleneagles at present, and I am not sure if I can give Paul a straight answer.
“I know I would probably have to think long and hard about it, and look at the whole picture and the whole scenario.
“It will depend on how I stand and how I feel, so it’s not going to be an easy decision to make, and especially after what happened at Medinah.
“I left Medinah on such a high after such an incredible victory and I don’t think it is going to get any better than that.”
“Also there is a history in all sports of players, captains and no matter who, who have achieved something I did in winning Ryder Cup.
“Then if they do come back it’s just not the same and you will lose some of the shine from what you achieved.
“Of course if Paul asked me to be at Gleneagles it would be a different role than what I had at Medinah.
“But I will have to wait and see if I get to that bridge, and at this stage I’m not sure if I want to be crossing the bridge.”
All three players – McGinley, Olazabal and Jimenez – are competing in this week’s KLM Open at Zandvoort.
