Padraig Harrington has cautioned potential members of the European Ryder Cup team there’ll be”no excuses” for playing in the BMW PGA Championship next year.
Qualifying to the European team starts this week and ends at Wentworth following September before Harrington takes his side to Whistling Straits to defend the Ryder Cup against Steve Stricker’s Team USA.
Harrington is delighted to see a stellar field teeing it up at the West Course this week, headlined by Rory McIlroy, and he’s intent on seeing more of the same a year from today when rankings on his team for Wisconsin are likely to be determined.
“This is a massive part of why it’s starting this week and why it’s ending in the BMW PGA Championship,” said Harrington, shortly after hammering Robert Karlsson as his first assistant captain. “That really is the flagship event in Europe along with the players develop and take it.
“This is our largest European event, it is the one which that you are interested in being there. This year you are sure to have a field, which isn’t only important, but it’ll be exceptionally significant come this time that we have the best players playing the event.
“If there are positions still to be decided, each player will be going up against other good players this week and you also will not be any explanations. You ca turnaround and say,’well, I do not want to return to the event; it is not enough’.
“This will lead to no excuses next year, as everybody will soon be here who wishes to get on the team. And it is a golf course that is fine now, it is. They have made the enhancements and everybody loves it and it’s a real solid golf program and it’ll produce fine drama, which is precisely the kind of golf course we are going to be testing the players around.”
Harrington also emphasized the importance of getting rookies on the group, together with the likes of Matt Wallace and Open champion Shane Lowry among those likely to create their Ryder Cup debuts in Wisconsin.
“We need rookies,” Harrington added. “how can you receive the buzz and atmosphere on the group? You want men there just thrilled to be there and eager, and the older guys get the capability handle and to assist a young player. That’s the beauty of The Ryder Cup, to have rookies on the group.
“Certainly you wouldn’t need to go in there using 12 rookies and when nine rookies qualify, I will be choosing three seasoned guys. So we won’t be going in with 12 rookies, because the rookies have made it for Europe through the 29, however you desire a mixture.
“These are the guys that come out and they all glow. I am hoping for a nice balance on the group, and whatever I buy, the nine men who qualify will deserve to be there, and it is my job to choose three men to rip them out, and then it is myself, Robert and the other vice-captains’ jobs to get the maximum from them when we’re there during the week.”
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