Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie share a laugh at the 2011 Italian Open. Picture Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ieThe scramble for the 2014 Ryder Cup captaincy is quickly descending into a tale of intrigue worthy of the Vatican.
Thanks to Darren Clarke, we can add another name to the list of candidates to be considered before there is “fumata blanca” in Abu Dhabi next month - Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie.
Taking exactly the opposite view to Pádraig Harrington, who believes it is impossible to match US captain Tom Watson for stature, Clarke lobbed the 2010 captain’s name into the conversation in London today when asked about the leader’s role at Gleneagles in less than two years’ time.
For Paul McGinley, considered Clarke’s leading rival for the job by the bookmakers, it might has well have been a hand grenade.
Watson’s appointment, Clarke believes, is a game changer.
In a PA story, he said: “I think it could well affect who is appointed. A lot of people, myself included, were surprised when Tom Watson was appointed.
“It’s a big statement and brilliant for the event - there are few more iconic figures in golf, he’s adored in Scotland and it sends out a statement that they are very serious about winning the trophy back.
“Maybe we have to have a look and consider other people as well. Whoever it is standing on that stage opposite Tom Watson needs a huge presence.
“We seriously need the right man for the job. We do have an (unwritten) rule where we don’t ask anybody to do it again, but we might have to look at that.”
Montgomerie has not put his name forward but insisted instead that he would do the job in his home country at Gleneagles, “Only if asked.”
Asked about his availablilty for the 2014 captaincy shortly after Europe’s memorable comeback at Medinah, Montgomerie said: “I think you have got to have favourites like Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Paul McGinley. They have been vice-captains twice. You have got to look at one of those three possibly for Gleneagles. You will probably find one of those will take over and try and retain it.”
Clarke’s words may not have been necessary to bring Montgomerie into the debate when the Tournament Players Committee sits down to discuss José María Olazábal’s successor in Abu Dhabi in the New Year. If the “stature” issue is considered crucial, it will hole McGinley’s candidacy below the waterline.
According to PA’s report, Clarke’s words….
“… might well reduce the odds on Montgomerie being asked to do the job again in his home country.
Initially earmarked for Gleneagles, the eight-time European number one agreed to take on the position two years ago at Celtic Manor and led Europe to a nail-biting one-point victory.
Clarke does add that if he is asked to take charge it would be an honour to do so, but the Northern Irishman also thinks he could have one more playing appearance in him.
The last of his five caps came at the K Club in 2006 - amazingly he won all his three games just six weeks after his first wife Heather lost her battle with breast cancer.
“If they asked me to do it it would be a difficult decision to take. I’m still only 44 and it’s not that long ago that I won The Open,” he said.
It was in July last year, of course, that Clarke, 111th in the world at the time, triumphed at Sandwich.
He has since dropped back to 145th in the rankings, but a top-10 finish in the Australian PGA Championship has raised his optimism for 2013 and beyond.”
Right on cue, Montgomerie’s odds with Betfair tumbled to 19/2 joint third favourite with 2002 skipper Sam Torrance. Clarke remains the leading fancy at 5/12 with McGinley 13/11.
Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley | in Ryder Cup | Email Article | 5 Comments | Share Article |
Reader Comments (5)
Well what else would expect , paul led and helped lead G B AND iRL to two Seve trophies against rest of Europe in Paris , what did Darren lead ? , leadership qualities ? NO CONTEST Paul has proven ability , Monty is looking after Mqnty , Darren undermines Paul who is acting the perfect gentleman .... by focusing on experience of Watson ...empty vessels ..
That's a big own goal by Big D'arn! My vote remains unswervingly for McGinley in 2014 and I have grave doubts about Clarke being captaincy material in 2016.
Very undignified commentry from Darren. He seems hell bent on stopping Paul by throwing Colins name in the ring when he realised the top players were backing Paul. Darren is a great character but the has shown very poor judgement .
I'd be very disappointed if Monty got another go. His win in Celtic Manor was a fitting result for the career he's had in the event but he's exhausted his usefulness as far as I'm concerned. His commentary during Medinah was embarrassing, continuously trying to associate himself with the team ("I'm just so proud to be part of this....etc") whilst remaining oblivious (deliberately or otherwise) to the fact that he wasn't actually offered that opportunity via the position of vice-captaincy by Olazabal.
I'm really surprised Darren Clarke said what he did (assuming he wasn't mis-quoted) - all it has done is detracted from McGinley's chances, and I think PMcG deserves his shot, especially considering Darren seems willing to stand aside. I don't know what to make of Watson's appointment but for Clarke to essentially declare it a P.G.A master-stroke because of the intimidation factor Watson supposedly possesses vastly overplays the importance of the role of captaincy. You'd have to be an absolute disaster to be blamed, properly blamed, for a Ryder Cup defeat as captain; the only legitimate examples I can cite in the last 2 decades are Hal Sutton and Nick Faldo, for very obvious reasons. Outside of ridiculously basic pairing and self-handling decisions that just about any real golf fan could manage, it really is all down to the players. Tom Lehman, for example, was perfectly competent and still got walloped (by Ian Woosnam of all people).
Montgomerie hasn't become any more likeable since his golf career has begun to wane, indicating that his behaviour towards fans/spectators/reporters on the golf course and off of it, is and always has been the result of obnoxiousness as opposed to the 'pressures' of top-flight golf that he so often tended to blame. I love watching him play but his golf, at its best, is all he has to offer the game from what I can see. He's had an incredible record in the Ryder Cup and I'm delighted that Europe managed to win under his captaincy but he's had his day. McGinely has just as much respect amongst the players, is far better in front of a camera and should be no more out of place in Scotland than Woosnam was in Ireland. The only people who have any right to dispute his appointment for 2014 are Jimenez, Bjorn or Clarke and if they have no problem with McGinley's captaincy (meaning it displaces them), then nobody else should.
Are we forgetting that the Captain is only one spoke in the wheel and that how the players perform is paramount, poorly as well as on their game i.e Sunday at Medinah for example. I guess on Sat night in Chicago Davis was a superb captain? McGinley is a class act and commands or should I say has earned respect. Darren will never be captain at Gleneagles, why...because he has criticised the course on more than one occasion. If you want to say negative things about courses start with The Belfry, 3 or four good holes and that's about it. Darren surprises me, a little less passing comment would be a good thing from a guy who is Ireland's most naturally gifted talented player bar none and that includes curly top... Having said all that European guys have bigger b***s so maybe that's the criteria for captain and players?