Victorious Ryder Cup captain, Paul McGinley has taken a big swipe at Tiger Woods in choosing himself as a ‘wildcard’ pick for next month’s Presidents Cup showdown in Australia.
Woods will now be the first Presidents Cup playing captain since fellow American Hale Irwin in 1994 while the last Ryder Cup playing captain was the late, great Arnold Palmer in 1963.
McGinley led Europe to an emphatic victory in 2014 at Gleneagles and a bitter USA Team defeat that was instrumental in the Americans now adopting the highly-successful European Team model of choosing successive captains.
I’m surprised Tiger has not stepped aside as Captain of the Presidents Cup. Was one of the goals set out by Americas task force in 2014 not succession planning and for immediate future Captains to gain valuable experience ? @SkySportsGolf
— Paul McGinley (@mcginleygolf) November 8, 2019
It came as no surprise to the golf world when Woods announced himself along with Patrick Reed, reigning US Open champion, Gary Woodland and Tony Finau as the four ‘wildcard picks’ heading down-under next month.
Reed was asked his thoughts having not only the 15-time Major winning Woods as the 2019 Captain but also as a playing team-mate after the visiting American posted a second round 66 at the Turkish Airlines Open.
“I think it’s going to be awesome having Tiger as the playing captain,” said Reed.
“It wouldn’t be really a team event without having him there, especially with how he’s been playing. Winning at Augusta and then going out and playing the way he did at ZoZo and to win there in Japan, you know, with the guy playing that well, we’re happy to have him playing.
“And on top of it, to have Tiger as your captain, it’s going to be special. It’s going to be fun.
“I know the biggest thing is just all of us need to stay focussed and pay attention to what we’re doing on the golf course and go out and beat the guys you’re playing, because at the end of the day, that’s all that matters is getting points and having a chance to win.
Paul McGinley critical of Tiger Woods decision to compete in next month’s President Cup as a playing captain. (Photo – PGA Tour)
Present European Captain, Padraig Harrington was also asked his opinion of Woods’ own selection after producing a round of 66 on day two of the Turkish Airlines Open here in Belek.
“I think it says a lot the difference between the Presidents Cup and the Ryder Cup that Tiger has picked himself as a playing-captain because I don’t think it is possible to now be a playing captain in the Ryder Cup,” said Harrington.
“The Ryder Cup captaincy is an extremely complicated, stressful and busy job and now seeing that for a first time after being a three-time vice-captain you just could not play and also captain a Ryder Cup team on top of that, so that you could not do both jobs.
“It’s right that he should play as he’s in winning form having won just recently in Japan but do both jobs I don’t think so.
“In seeing who Tiger has also picked, he has two rookies and that is what I am looking at and taking two rookies to Whistling Straits but what worries me is that his two rookies (Patrick Cantlay & Gary Woodland), as I wish he had picked two of the older guys (laughing).”
