Harrington: Team Europe's leader ... and future captain?
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM Managing Editor
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- It obviously won't be in two years when the 2010 Ryder Cup extravaganza cranks up in Newport, Wales. It probably won't even be 10 years from now. After all, he'll only be 47 years old, four years younger than Nick Faldo is now. Besides, as a self-acknowledged late bloomer who is just entering his prime as arguably the world's second-best golfer, he could very well still be contending for majors, perhaps still even winning them.
But you can count on it at some point -- Padraig Harrington will be the Captain of a European team in the Ryder Cup.
And while the Irishman wouldn't be so presumptious to declare that himself, he's already preparing for the role, already processing information that -- in what, 12 years? 14 years? -- will be useful when his time comes and he is tapped on the shoulder and given the task to beat the Americans.
Listen to what Harrington said Thursday when asked about playing for Faldo, the current European Captain: "I'm looking forward to playing under Nick and seeing what I can learn from him."
A simple statement, really, but it says so much about Harrington, about the way he is always thinking, always striving to get better, always grinding, whether it's on the back nine of a major on Sunday or in a meeting when others may be looking at their watches or the exit door.
Things don't happen overnight. No player at Valhalla this week knows that better than Harrington. It took him a long time to reach this point in his career, a point that has him with back-to-back majors this season and three overall. He had to battle the detractors, battle his own self-doubting demons, battle the fact that he's not the most gifted player in the planet -- although he's certainly among the most determined.
And that's why he is the de facto "playing" captain of the European team this week. The absence of Colin Montgomerie -- and to a lesser extent, Darren Clarke -- has opened up a vacancy as the unofficial team leader. Sergio Garcia, because of his Monty-like mystique in the Ryder Cup, could be argued as the new leader. Lee Westwood, who has played more Ryder Cup matches (25) than any other player on the 12-man European roster, is another candidate.
But neither Garcia nor Westwood has won a major. Harrington has three. Perhaps just as important, at least as it pertains to his teammates this week, he ended Europe's eight-year drought in major championships when he beat Garcia at the Open Championship last year. While Harrington's Irish brogue may not always speak at a high volume in the team room, his resume does a lot of his talking.
Those three majors have been won since the last Ryder Cup was played in Harrington's homeland of Ireland. More important, those three majors have become a source of inspiration for his teammates, a source of pride by osmosis. The 11 other Europeans know Harrington has the good vibes going -- and they want to soak up as much as they can.
"Having him on our side is huge," said fellow Irishman Graeme McDowell. "... He's certainly given our team room strength. He's strengthened the whole team. He's bringing something -- and he's bringing a whole new level to our team."
Added Justin Rose: "I'm sure we're all trying to pick his brains a little bit at some point."
Harrington knows that. He doesn't mind sharing his secrets. But really, what he says is not nearly as important as what he does. He's your prototypical leader by example, even though his example -- working hard -- has not really changed in the past few years. It's just now that he's getting results. And, consequently, getting more respect. Or, as he aptly described it, "a quiet sense of people looking up to me."
That's not to say he won't speak up when necessary -- and it could very well be necessary this week as the Europeans battle on American soil. "When I see the opportunity," Harrington noted, "I say what needs to be said."
Actually, Harrington already has declared that he and McDowell will be paired together at some point this week, just in case any of his countrymen were worried that Faldo would keep the two Irishmen apart.
But really, it's Harrington's deeds, his desire to take on the tough challenges, that matter most.
Consider the 2004 Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills when Harrington and Montgomerie both expressed their desire to take on Hal Sutton's much-ballyhooed (but ultimately disasterous) pairing of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in the Friday morning four-ball matches. The European side's 2 and 1 win deflated the Americans and set the tone for the nine-point rout.
"We knew we could go out there and play our own games and force Tiger and Phil to live up to their games," Harrington recalled Thursday.
Harrington, in fact, has never shied away from facing America's best. He has played Woods five times in two-man competition, winning twice (once with Monty, the other time with Paul McGinley). And he has a 2-1 record in matches against Phil Mickelson.
While Harrington's 7-8-2 record in Ryder Cup play is not nearly as spectacular as Garcia's 14-4-2 mark, consider their records in Sunday's singles: Harrington is 3-1; Garcia is 1-3.
Harrington said that while nobody on the European team will fill Monty's shoes this week, the Irishman is -- at least in one respect -- ready to take on the Monty role when this Sunday's lineup is set. Harrington said he'll be glad to step up and take the No. 1 slot if Faldo wants him to set the tone. On the flip side, if Faldo gives him the No. 12 spot, when the outcome of the Ryder Cup could fall on his shoulders, that's fine too.
"I won't play any different golf if I'm playing at No. 1 or No. 12," Harrington said. "I'll go out and approach it the same way and do the same thing."
Consistency -- certainly a solid trait for a team leader. The matches haven't even started this week, and already the Irishman is setting the tone. But while he provides the steady rock for his teammates to follow, he's preparing the ground work for his future captaincy.
And if you're wondering what kind of captain Harrington will be, well, just watch how Faldo is operating this week.
"What he's talking about," Harrington said, "is exactly what I would say if I were in his position."
Don't worry, Paddy -- you'll be there one day.
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