It could mean Clarke will now go up against hot favourite Paul McGinley to replace ‘Miracle at Medinah’ team captain Jose Maria Olazabal.
Darren Clarke would be honoured to lead European Ryder Cup team. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffille.ie)
In what would be a first in the 87-year history of the Ryder Cup, the 40th staging of the biannual event could see an Irishman led Europe out into competition on the PGA Centenary course in central Scotland.No doubt many will now see it unfortunate that two Irish players will now be looking for the vote of the Tournament Players Committee at their meeting next January in Abu Dhabi.
And while McGinley declared late last week he did not want to be ‘pigeon holed’ by declaring himself available, Clarke is ready to embrace the European Team captaincy should it be offered to the 44-year old former British Open winner.
“If I was asked to Captain Europe in two years I definitely could not say ‘no’,” he said.
“But then I am not that presumptuous that I will be putting in a request for the captaincy.”
However it was put Clarke, who represented Europe in five consecutive Ryder Cup’s from 1997 and up to an including 2006, that he certainly ticked all the captaincy boxes.
“That’s for you to say, not me,” he responded.
“But if I was asked I would jump at the opportunity but then I still have set myself the goal of still trying to get back in the side as a player not as a vice-captain, as I have been for the last two Ryder Cups.
“I still dearly want make the team, and even more so after being present in Medinah as part of Ollie’s support staff so I would love to play in another Ryder Cup.
“But unfortunately the ways things have been going with my game of late that’s not been happening.
“However if it means going to Gleneagles as the captain of the team and not a member of the team, then I would accept that as a huge honour.
“It’s probably the biggest honour that can be bestowed on a member of the European Tour to be able to ask to captain the European Team.
“So if I were to be offered the position I would embrace it with both arms and hope I could do just as good a job as Jose Maria did at Medinah.”
Clarke will join fellow British Open winner, Padraig Harrington in this week’s Euro 3m Portugal Masters at Villiamoura.
Up against the final event on European soil this season is tomorrow’s (TUES) starting Turkish Airlines World Challenge featuring the likes of World No. 1 Rory McIlroy, 14-time Major winning Tiger Woods along with Lee Westwood, Justin Rose , Matt Kuchar, Webb Simpson, Charl Schwartzel and Huter Mahan.
