Eagle Golf Club

Northern Irish golfer Graeme McDowell has stated that Paul McGinley, the captain of the European team for the Ryder Cup has done the event a huge favor by removing from the assistant’s role players who could be captains in the future with the appointments of Sam Torrance and Des Smyth.

McDowell, who has played in three Ryder Cup events and starred for the European team during their win at Celtic Manor in 2010 said that there have been several instances in the past where the vice captains, spurred on by the fact that they could do their potential captaincy slot in the future no harm by trying and making a name for themselves as they eyed the prestigious role.

But with the addition of the 61 year old Smyth and the 60 year old Torrance, who captained the European team back in 2002, McGinley believes he has more than negated that chance and believes everything in the event will be about the captain and the team.

And according to the Northern Irishman, it always makes for an interesting dynamic when a heavyweight golfer is selected for the role of the vice captain or assistants as they try to make a name for themselves and could harm the team as they try and prove their credentials for the role in the future.

But he mentioned that it is important that the players remember that the Ryder Cup is about the team and the captain leading them and he thinks that Paul McGinley has done the right thing by choosing two veterans as his assistants and will reinforce the value that is usually associated with the Ryder Cup.

Despite his claims, however, G-Mac is not confirmed as part of the team and he knows he will have to perform well to make it.