US Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson has labelled European rival Paul McGinley ‘gritty and a fighter’ ahead of their Gleneagles showdown.
Watson and McGinley have become good friends in the short time since both were appointed as opposing captains.
And the duo have become even closer following two days of ‘One Year To Go’ celebrations in Scotland with Watson and McGinley winding up yesterday (TUES) co-hosting a press conference in the main ballroom of the Gleneagles Hotel.
“Paul is tough and he’s gritty while he’s no nonsense,” said Watson.
Tom Watson praised rival Paul McGinley labeling Europe’s Ryder Cup captain as ‘gritty’ and a ‘fighter’. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“He’s also a fighter and I like that about him.”
Qualifying for the 2014 European Ryder Cup side commenced a month ago while US Team qualifying will get underway on October 10th with the Frys.com Open at San Martin, California.
The event is the first in a newly structured 2013/2014 PGA Tour schedule.
Watson is returning the States and New York where he will look at samples of the USA Team uniform ahead of monitoring the US player performance at next fortnight’s Presidents Cup in Ohio.
In contrast, McGinley will tee-up in tomorrow’s (Thur) starting Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in nearby St. Andrews.
And while Europe is already favourite with bookmakers to win the Ryder Cup for an eighth time in the last 10 encounters, McGinley is under no illusion his team facing a ‘heavyweight’ struggled to retain the gleaming gold trophy.
“At the risk of repeating myself, I really see this as, again, boxing parlance, as two heavyweights going toe to toe, 15 rounds,” said McGinley.
“The margin between the two teams is so slight and so small, even though we have come out on the right side of winning, I think there’s no doubt about it, we are going to have to play incredibly well to win this Ryder Cup.
“I know we are on home soil, but I know it’s going to be a very formidable package that Tom is going to pose to us, and I know that … that’s what makes it so enthralling. That’s what makes it so exciting.
“It’s a real heavyweight contest, and as we saw in Medinah it came right down to the wire, and I have no reason to think it won’t come right down to the wire again here in Gleneagles.”
The 64-year old Watson also came out fighting to knock down his ‘oldest-ever Ryder Cup captain’ controversy and with the Kansas-born eight-time Major Champion pulling no punches in declaring he is taking his side to Scotland to win back the gleaming gold trophy.
“As a captain all I can do is put shirts on the players playing the best and I will be honest because if you are not playing well you might not play very much.
“That’s the way I handled 1993 when I was captain as a couple of players were not playing that well and I didn’t play them very much.
“I’m not going to be that equal was everyone will play an equal number of matches as we will be at Gleneagles to win.
“It’s my call and that’s where I can be second guessed but I will take the arrows.”
Watson will stake his push to end Europe’s domination of the biennial event on 14-time Major winning Tiger Woods.
But then Woods, who has played in every Ryder Cup since his debut in 1997, has been in just winning side and that was in 2008 at Valhalla.
“I spoke to Davis (Love 111 – 2012 US Captain) after Medinah about the team make-up and how did they act that week, and what was there spiritual component,” said Watson.
“They were a whole and knitted group as possible and Tiger was the leader. He was then at the end and especially at the end when they lost.
“Tiger really proved himself to be a leader and that is essential in any team, and everyone looks up to Tiger and for him to be a leader is very important for our team.”
