Paul McGinley In Company Of Irish Priest Who Married Him When SUV Robbed In San Francisco.

by Fatiha Betscher, Pebble Beach, CA.

In a bizarre twist victorious Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley revealed he was in the company of the catholic priest that married he and his wife when his Nevada licensed SUV was broken into in suburban San Francisco.

McGinley had flown Monday from Dublin to the Golden Gate City where he was met on arrival by Fr. Brendan McBride of the Irish Pastoral Centre in San Francisco.

The Gleneagles captain had brought with him Ryder Cup memorabilia to be auctioned at the Center that same Monday night before Fr. McBride joined him in traveling further south to Carmel and this week’s AT & T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach.

The Donegal-born Fr. McBride, who has been residing the States for the past 20 years, had not only married the McGinley’s but also christened his three children.

Donegal-born Fr. Brendan McBride (left in photo) of the Irish Pastoral Center in San Francisco who met Paul McGinley on arrival, and who suggested the pair take a walk when McGinley's car was broken into.

Donegal-born Fr. Brendan McBride (left in photo) of the Irish Pastoral Center in San Francisco who met Paul McGinley on arrival, and who suggested the pair take a walk when McGinley’s car was broken into.

In fact, it was Fr. McBride’s suggestion the pair stop off at the Cliff House Restaurant, at Cliff Top on the Pacific Ocean shoreline, and just a short drive south of the famed Golden Gate Bridge.

“It was one o’clock in the afternoon and I just wanted some fresh air, having been on an airplane for so long,” said McGinley.

“Fr. McBride, a good friend of mine, and a Catholic priest, met me at the airport, and he had married me and Ali and also christened all our kids, and is a very good friend of the family and also a good golfer.

“Also he was in the same class at school as my father.

“So he said to me come on, we’ll walk the beach and get some fresh air.  He said there’s a lovely restaurant called the Cliff House, we’ll go have and lunch there.

“So we parked the car just outside the Cliff House and it’s a busy street.  Lovely part of town.  So we walked the beach, and came back and back window was smashed in and most of my stuff taken.

“Now the problem was I had a SUV and my clubs wouldn’t fit in the trunk, so they were sitting in the back seat.  The rest of the tough stuff was all hidden but once they saw the golf clubs.”

And in another Irish theme twist the first on the scene was an Irish American policeman in Officer McMahon.

“Officer McMahon came and helped me, and he’s the one who pointed out I had out of state plates, and that’s what they do as they troll up‑and‑down to see any out of state cars,” said McGinley.

Paul McGinley trying to get use to new TaylorMade clubs after his bag was stolen from his SUV in suburban San Francisco.  (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Paul McGinley trying to get use to new TaylorMade clubs after his bag was stolen from his SUV in suburban San Francisco. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

“So there’s a chance that it’s a tourist, there’s a chance that there’s something in the car, because it’s ‑‑ and the boot was all secured, but the fact that they smashed the back window and obviously popped the boot from inside and had a look in there.

“But despite what happened the charity function still went ahead at the pastoral center and hopefully we would have raised still a lot of money.”

Fortunately not stolen from McGinley’s car was his Ryder Cup blazer, and the blazer he had proudly worn for the last two years.

“The blazer was in my luggage and they didn’t take my clothes even though they rifled through them,” he said.

“Obviously didn’t see any value in a European blazer so that went for auction and yeah, we had a good night still.

Paul McGinley on the range at Pebble Beach.  (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Paul McGinley on the range at Pebble Beach. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

“But then losing my clubs has been very upsetting.  I’ve been with the same brand of TaylorMade for a long time, so it’s still a challenge for me getting used to new clubs they’ve given me.”

Also stolen from McGinley’s vehicle was Gleneagles gala dinner menus signed by both teams along with his passport, travel documents and an iPad.

“I was only an hour and a half in the country but look, as I say, it can happen anywhere in the world.  It’s one of those things,” he said.

“But then the signed items from the Ryder Cup were very special, and I was keeping them for special charities.  And one of them was, as I say this friend of mine Brendan, who is a priest and does great job for Irish immigration in San Francisco.

“So it makes my preparation for the tournament’s been very poor in terms of I haven’t played any holes yet as I’ve spent all my time there running around trying to get equipment.

“And it’s not just the clubs, as they took my range finder, all my notes, my golf notes that I’ve been taking and working on my golf swing and stuff like that.  Golf shoes, gloves, all the stuff that you would normally have.

“But, look, it’s all right.  I’ll deal with it.  It’s not ideal preparation, but doesn’t stop me from enjoying this week and hopefully playing well.”

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