For an Irish-born committee member there could be no more important Players Committee meeting in the 41-year history of the European Tour.The selection of Paul McGinley was the first time an Ireland-born player has been handed the reins to lead Europe since the very first Ryder Cup in 1927.

And making his debut on the committee was Dublin-born Peter Lawrie.Lawrie joined double winning Ryder Cup star Francesco Molinari as the two new members sitting on the Players Committee for a first-ever occasion.

And after a two-hour meeting in a business meeting room in the St. Regis Hotel Lawrie then joined fellow Irish Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry at the back of a St. Regis hotel ballroom that had been converted to a conference room to be present for later stages of McGinley’s near 30-minute formal news conference.

Peter Lawrie finds his first Players Committee meeting a litle ‘daunting’. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)

“I’m delighted for Paul, absolutely delighted and just very happy for him,” said Lawrie.

“It was a very interesting meeting but then as my first Players Committee meeting it was also a bit daunting but still very interesting.

“But it’s a great boost for Irish golf in general to finally have an Irish-born Ryder Cup captain and Ireland really deserved it as we have had so many Ryder Cup players for such a long time.

“And just like Paul, we’ve had so many Irish-born Ryder Cup players who have been involved in holing the winning putt or chip-shot or whatever so Paul’s appointment is another great chapter in Irish involvement in the Ryder Cup.

“It’s also going to be great now for all the Irish-born players on Tour who now have a very extra, special reason to try and qualify for Gleneagles.”