BMW PGA: Padraig Harrington wants all Ryder Cup hopefuls at Wentworth
By Keith Jackson at Wentworth
Last Updated: 18/09/19 6:12pm
Padraig Harrington has warned prospective members of his European Ryder Cup team there will be "no excuses" for not playing in the BMW PGA Championship next year.
Qualifying for the European team starts this week and finishes at Wentworth next September, shortly 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 is intent on seeing more of the same a year from now when positions on his team for Wisconsin are likely to still be decided.
"This is a huge part of why it's starting this week and why it's finishing at the BMW PGA Championship," said Harrington, shortly after unveiling Robert Karlsson as his first assistant captain. "This is the flagship event in Europe and the players turn up and take it.
"This is our biggest European event, it's the one you want to be there. You're guaranteed to get a really strong field, which is not just important this year, but it will be exceptionally important come this time next year that we have the best players playing the last event.
"If there are positions still to be decided, each player will be going up against other good players that week and there won't be any excuses. You can't sort of turn around and say, 'well, I don't want to come to this event; it's not big enough'.
"This ultimately will lead to no excuses next year, as everybody will be here who wants to get on the team. And it's a fine golf course now, it really is now. They have produced the improvements and everybody loves it and it's a real solid golf course and it will produce fine play, which is exactly the sort of golf course we'll be testing the players on."
Harrington also highlighted the importance of having rookies on the team, with the likes of Open champion Shane Lowry and Matt Wallace among those likely to make their Ryder Cup debuts in Wisconsin.
"We need rookies," Harrington added. "How do you get the atmosphere and buzz on the team? You need guys there just thrilled to be there and excited, and then the older guys get the ability to help and manage a young player. That's the beauty of The Ryder Cup, to have rookies on the team.
"Clearly you wouldn't want to go in there with 12 rookies and if nine rookies qualify, I'll be picking three experienced guys. So we won't be going in with 12 rookies, but you want a nice mixture because the rookies have really made it for Europe over the years.
"Those are the guys that come out and they shine. I'm hoping for a nice balance on the team, and whatever I get, the nine guys who qualify will deserve to be there, and it's my job to pick three guys to balance them out, and then it's myself, Robert and the other vice-captains' jobs to get the most out of them when we are there during the week."
