World No. 1 Rory McIlroy delivered fellow Irishman Paul McGinley a ringing 2014 Ryder Cup captaincy endorsement ahead of tonight’s (TUES) Gleneagles vote.
The Tournament Players Committee will meet in St Regis Hotel at Saadiyat Beach in Abu Dhabi to decide a successor to Jose Maria Olazabal and with McGinley now favourite to become the first-ever Irish born captain in the 85-year history of the Ryder Cup.
With Darren Clarke seemingly out of the vote McGinley’s only other rival is Colin Montgomerie but with the 2010 victorious European Team captain seemingly intent on selfishly ignoring a ‘one captain’ unwritten committee policy.
Paul McGinley now looking likely to be appointed 2014 European Ryder Cup captain. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“I strongly believe everyone deserves to get their chance of being captain, and I played under Paul at the Seve Trophy in 2009 and I thought he did an unbelievable job,” said McIlroy.
“Out of any captain I have played under I feel that he would be the best as he brings a lot to the team room.
“And personally, I don’t think Monty has anything to gain by this as if we go to Gleneagles and we lose we lose he’s already a winning Ryder Cup captain so I am fully behind Paul and Paul should get the job.
“It’s the small details that makes Paul such a good choice as he doesn’t leave any stone unturned and he just instils confidence in the team room.
“I just had a great experience playing under him and when he was twice a vice captain in the Ryder Cups I’ve played, he’s always brought a lot ideas and that he would make a really great captain.”
Monty was like a kid in a candy shop last week in Durban playing up his goal of returning to the captaincy and that extended to the bar at Durban Airport on Sunday night ahead of flying to the UAE with Monty telling a handful of caddies how he is warming to the Gleneagles leading role.
“It will be good to get the captaincy decision out of the way on Tuesday night now that America has their captain in place, so it’s about time we appointed ours so everyone can concentrate on other things,” said the Scot
“But it is flattering to be associated with doing the job again.”
Dublin’s Peter Lawrie makes his committee debut tonight and was overheard in conversation on Abu Dhabi practice range yesterday (MON) discussing the issue with England’s Paul Casey.
Lawrie is certain to put his hand up for McGinley a nd in a meeting now reduced to a dozen in the absence of Swedish committee members, Robert Karlsson and Joakim Haeggman along with Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez who is nursing a broken leg.
