14 July 2023 , 21:10
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Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has given selection hope to his predecessor Padraig Harrington, who has recently found some form on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.
Harrington was involved in the 2021 Ryder Cup as a non-playing captain, but things did not go to plan for the Irishman. The 51-year-old led the European team to a record-breaking defeat at the hands of their American rivals, who ran away with the event at Whistling Straits.
On the back of the defeat, the Irishman then handed over duties ahead of the 2023 event, which were first taken on by Henrik Stenson, before he was replaced by Donald due to the Swedish star's decision to join LIV Golf. The Irishman's name was now one in Ryder Cup past, having held his captaincy role two years ago.
With less than three months to go until this year's event, it seems Harrington has once again entered the conversation on the back of winning his first senior major championship at the US Senior Open last month.
The former Ryder Cup skipper has taken to life on the Champions Tour like a duck to water, having secured five senior titles in his first 12 months on the circuit. Harrington has also been hopping back into regular events too, having featured in both the PGA Championship and U.S. Open
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Despite becoming a senior player, the Irishman has more than proved he is able to compete with the younger stars, especially at last month's U.S. Open where he finished inside the top 30. Harrington is back in action this week at the Scottish Open, and is once again showing that age is just a number.
Competing against some of the best players in the world, the former Open champion finds himself in a tie for seventh heading into the weekend, just three shots off leader Rory McIlroy. And it appears his fine form in recent months has caught the attention of captain Donald.
Padraig Harrington is a man in form (Getty Images)The Irishman revealed he had received a phone call from the Englishman in regard to his Ryder Cup chance. Per Golf.com, Harrington said: "Luke [Donald] rang me a couple weeks ago. He was actually ringing me to say well done for my win [at the U.S. Senior Open.
"And said it would be remiss to say ‘I’m not watching." Outlining what he needs to do to keep his selection chances alive, he went on: "I said, [my schedule] is going to be very clear. How I play in Scotland and how I play at the Open will determine everything… I know if I don’t perform these two weeks, it’s the end of that.”
And it seems Harrington is not lacking in confidence, backing himself to compete against anybody over the next two weeks of links golf. Yeah, I feel I can challenge anybody on a links golf course route a doubt," he added. From years of playing, it comes natural to me. And I don't have a problem coming back and playing with the young guys on any golf course, but obviously links makes it a little easier for me."