Paul McGinley arrived in France for this week’s Seve Trophy but also very much intent on watching TV coverage of this week’s Presidents Cup in the States.
As the incumbent European Ryder Cup captain it is McGinley’s role to overee the staging of the biannual event between a Sam Torrance captained GB & I team and a Jose Maria Olazabal European side.
GB & I have dominated the event winning six of the seven encounters with the only exception being the inaugural tournament in 2000 when the late Seve Ballesertos led his side to a one point victory.
Paul McGinley speaks at the opening ceremony as MC Jean Van de Velde looks on. (Photo – David Lloyd/www.golffile.ie)
However with GB & I’s top-six qualifiers, including the US Open winning trio of Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, opting not to play Europe is now favourite to win on the St. Nom-la-Breteche course.
“Now that I’ve met with Sam and Jose Maria here in Versailes I am going to step back and let the two guys captain and I’m not going to get involved,” he said.
“But there is one thing also of importance for me this week and that’s watching coverage of the Presidents Cup.
“I’ve only browsed the event in the past but this year it naturally takes on more interest as I want to see how the American partnerships work.
“They’ve learned a lot of the past few Presidents Cups about partnerships and want to see what partnerships catch fire at Muirfield Village, and whether Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley continue be a strong pairing as they were last year.
“So one of the first things I did was to make sure my hotel here in France has it on TV.”
However there was no stepping back for McGinley at today’s opening ceremony with MC Jean Van de Velde singling out the Irishman but also reminding him that it was two years ago when McGinley humbled Van de Velde by leading GB & I to victory over the Frenchman’s led Europeans.
And McGinley revealed since 2014 European Team qualifying got under way he’s been impressed with the efforts of number of Gleneagles team ‘probables’ including compatriot Shane Lowry who was third in last week’s Alfred Dunhill Links.
“I feel that is an important part of my job to stay competitive and it’s also meant I’ve had to chance in recent weeks to play alongside Shane while I played alongside Joost Luiten in Holland and then at last week’s Dunhill Links I played alongside David Lynn,” he said.
“They are three guys who could be on the team, so that’s why it’s important to stay competitive so that I can watch them up front and encourage them.
“With Joost winning the KLM and Shane going so close last Sunday it’s a big step in the right direction for both of them.”
