Patrick Harrington on Rory McIlroy: “I’m really happy with where he’s. Rory is at his best when he’s trying to prove a point or two. He’s really a bit stressed, like so carry it on. Just keep pushing it, and the best will come out ”
By Keith Jackson
Last updated: 27/01/21 3:46 pm
Patrick Harrington said Rory McIlroy will be at the Ryder Cup in September
Patrick Harrington is adamant that Rory McIlroy will be one of “a few strikers” locked into his team at the Ryder Cup, although he dismissed the notion that he would have more than three wild card picks.
Harrington believes McIlroy’s imminent win could be a move of money for the former world 1, who was unable to turn a 54-hole lead to victory in Abu Dhabi because he had played by “captain’s dream” Tyrrell Hatton on the final day.
The European captain is not worried that McIlroy is without a win from November 2019, and even suggests that he wanted to “re-introduce” when he put 2020 off in superb form, worried that his star player might be struggling with fatigue before the Ryder Cup came around.
Rory McIlroy is locked into the squad, and Harrington sees Tyrrell Hatton as a ‘captain’s dream’
“One hundred percent, there are a few stalkers that are definitely going to be there,” Harrington said in Dubai. “Wouldn’t we all like to play as bad as Rory McIlroy? He’s there every week. You look at him and wish you could have weeks like him because you know he’s many benefits are going to come.
“Rory has been great in his career, but he has had times where he just doesn’t win. This is a better time not to win. This is the time best Rory has ever been without winning, but he’s there or there All the time.
“If you look at the three, four, five years ago he might have missed a few cuts on this run. Now it’s just controversy. Right, he’s not getting it over. the line at the very end, but when he does, he’s going for a run and could probably run comfortably by winning six, seven, eight times in a year.
“And from a Ryder Cup standpoint, it’s a bit self-deprecating but I’m so glad to see it. He was playing incredible at the start of last year and I said at that point I would like to re -start in a small thing and hold it back.We don’t want it to burn out.We want it to be fresh and ready to come in September.
Harrington wanted no more than three wild card bricks
“So I’m very happy with where he is. Rory is at his best when he’s trying to prove a point or two. He’s really a bit stressed, and there’s a bit of profiteering in the media, he says. We, and Rory, are always at their best like that. So take it forward. It’s in good shape and just keep pushing it, and the best will come out. “
As McIlroy struggles to get out of his infertile run, winning has been a regular occurrence for Hatton over the past 18 months, with a win in Abu Dhabi’s fourth title in his last 20 starts.
“It’s definitely everything you’d want in a player,” Harrington said. “Of course there are plenty of good golfers out there but Tyrrell seems to have it when he comes under pressure from the big times with big players looking down on him, as if he were going. against Rory last week and going against Tommy Fleetwood.
“It’s the dream of a Ryder Cup captain, isn’t it. That’s exactly what you want, a player who has that gumption and can achieve it. Even if he’s winning four times over the past year, they are nicely distributed and do not deliver flash-in-the-pan stuff.
Harrington is looking forward to a mix of youth and experience
“Last week, Rory got the upper hand early, and it would have been easy for Tyrrell to play nicely and finish that I can be second or third. But he took the competition. that ‘s with a neck scratch, and from a captain’ s point of view it was very impressive. That’s the kind of stuff I’d like to see my players do. “
The likes of Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia live a short distance outside the qualifying places for the Harrington team, as does Francesco Molinari, the 2018 breaker, but Harrington is willing to copy the criteria of the USA and has a half dozen wild card selections. disposal and welcomes the “change of guard”.
“I had a choice as to how many wildcards I had, and I didn’t want more than three,” said Harrington, who said he would be thrilled to see youth talent in his lineup, no matter what. some knowledge. “I believe that players should be given the right to deserve it, and there are those who deserve to be there.
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“You have to give the rookies a chance to qualify. You have to give them a good chance of the whip. Everyone who is on the well-deserved European Tour feels they have the opportunity to make this team. And that’s very important for the team’s confidence.
“Giving me six bricks would have given me a hell of a headache. My three points are to build on the nine players who deserve it, that’s just it. I’m not interested in it. picking up the 10th, 11th or 12th best player I am. ’I am interested in selecting three players who will fill in four levels and four balls and in an idea.
“In terms of the age of the players, yes, an extra year is going to be a year too long for some of the older boys. The guard has changed a bit. I’m looking forward to seeing a few more players. defense coming through in the next eight months and positioning themselves as the new stars. “