Regnum Caya, Belek, Turkey …

Padraig Harrington’s choice as the 2020 Ryder Cup Captain is now not as clear cut with possibly two others vying for the European Team captaincy.

Harrington remains the clear favourite to be named early in December as the replacement to the triumphant Thomas Bjorn but Scotland’s Paul Lawrie is hinted to have thrown his name also into the Whistling Straits voting cap.

As well, there is rumours Sweden’s Robert Karlsson has been asked to also put his arm up given the outpouring of compliments for Karlsson’s work behind-the-scenes ahead of the Versailles victory.

Padraig Harrington could now be facing one and if not two rivals for the 2020 European Ryder Cup captaincy (Photo @tourmiss)

However, Harrington, who is teeing-up in this week’s Turkish Airlines Open at the Regnum Caya course in Belek, was at his diplomatic best.

“I know no more than anybody else and I keep getting asked the question and then every second, third and fourth question keeps coming back when I say ‘there is not much I can say bar yes, I would like be the next Ryder Cup captain’.

“Yes, there is other names in the hat and nobody is fully sure when they are going to announce it but I certainly would relish the opportunity and the challenge and I will go into it mightily and that’s for sure.

“It is certainly not going to be easy for anybody going back to the States after we beat them in France as the U.S. will be for it”.

Harrington revealed he had been asked to apply for the captaincy very soon after Europe’s win in Versailles.

“I was asked at the Ryder Cup and very, very, very quickly after the Ryder Cup and almost immediately after the Ryder Cup,” he said.

“The Tour wanted to know who was interested and that was evident in Lee Westwood’s case as he was not interested in being captain as he wanted to have one more go in 2020 of qualifying for the team.

“So, that was my thinking the last time around that maybe there was one more Ryder Cup in me but this time, no”.

The Ryder Cup captaincy selection committee consists of the European Tour CEO, Keith Pelly, the Chairman of the Tournament Players Committee in David Howell and the immediate past three European Team captains – Paul McGinley (2014), Darren Clarke (2016) and Bjorn.

Harrington though would be more happier if awarded the captaincy on his merits and not on being Irish-born.

“I don’t think if I were to be elected captain would have anything to do with the fact that I am Irish and both Paul and Darren are also Irish,” said Harrington.

“The thing in my favour is that I have been a vice-captain to the three former captains so while I have worked with the three I would hoping they will make their decision without bias.”

And whether or not Harrington gets the captaincy nod, he believes Europe stands the best chance since 2012 to win on American soil given the layout of the Whistling Straits course along the shoreline of Lake Michigan, and in September, should play more into the European hands than the home USA side.

“There is no doubt about it that home advantage is a distinct factor in the Ryder Cup and thankfully whoever is the captain next time around, is playing at Whistling Straits, which is a European style golf course,”said Harrington.

“It’s as good a golf course to go to for ‑‑ like let’s face it.  If we were going to Riviera, that would be so hard for the Europeans to win on that style of golf course, just U.S. to the bone there.

“There’s so many golf courses that they could go to in the States.  They should just turn up in Hazeltine every year, their cup of tea and gives such an advantage.

“Whistling Straits, at that time of year, hopefully it will be cold and windy for whoever is captain.”