Carnoustie, Scotland ….

Triple Major winning Padraig Harrington has declared his interest to become 2020 European Ryder Cup Captain declaring it to be too ‘risky’ if he waited for 2026 at Adare Manor in Ireland.

Harrington, 46 has competed is six European Ryder Cup teams while he’s been a vice-captain under fellow Irishman Paul McGinley in 2014 and two years later at Hazeltine under Darren Clarke.

As well, Harrington is strongly expected to be named later next month by current European Team captain, Thomas Bjorn as one of his five Versailles vice-captains.

Padraig Harrington, and shown here with fellow Irish Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy at the victorious 2010 Ryder Cup, has now thrown his hat into the ring to captain the 2020 European Team

Harrington had been in Ireland last week joining Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and McGinley at the re-opening of the Adare Manor course where Harrington had captured the 2007 Irish Open.

The re-opening also heralded strong interest in Adare Manor being handed the 2026 Ryder Cup and with Harrington mooted to be Eurpean Captain on Irish soil.

However, Harrington would be age 55 in late 2026 and stating it would be too ‘risky’ as he would be a good many years away from the main European Tour.

“I would love to be a Ryder Cup Captain down the road”, said Harrington.

“I see my game at the moment that putting my name in the ring to be Ryder Cup Captain is coming sooner rather than later as it does not look like I will be playing my way into this year’s team.

“But as regards to 2026, it’s too late for me to wait.  It would be too much of a risk.  I would be somewhat out-of-touch with players by 2016 and there would a lot of good players coming on the scene by 2026.   There is good players who are playing now who will be looking for the captaincy in 2026.

“It would me creating a risk that I might not get the job.

“So, I don’t think I will be waiting around for 2026 as much as I would love to be the captain in Ireland but I think the risk would far outweigh the reward of waiting, so I think it better for me to pitch for the captaincy or whatever you do like put your name in the ring before 2026 to reduce the fact there are a lot of good players following who will be looking for the Ryder Cup captaincy in 2026 and in eight years time.

“To be the European Captain in 2020 would just be good timing for me in terms of my career”.

The 2020 Ryder Cup is to be staged at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin and it would mean Harrington possibly up against the likes of England’s Lee Westwood and Scotland’s Paul Lawrie for the captaincy.