Padraig Harrington makes painful admission on Ryder Cup chances

Padraig Harrington admits he does not think he will be selected for the Ryder Cup in Rome this September.

The 51-year-old has flown under the radar in recent months to rise as a shock contender for Luke Donald’s side but claims he has not done enough.

Speaking to Mirror Sport, the Irishman downplayed his chances of returning to the European team for the biennial battle in Italy.

He said: “Unfortunately, I think I haven’t done enough.

“As I’m playing such a limited schedule on the regular tour, I needed to do more in the Scottish [Open] and The Open, in particular.

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“I needed to push forward, but I just think I haven’t played enough events to give myself a better chance, I know there are a couple of events to go but even then.”

The two-time Open champion finished in a tie for 64th at Royal Liverpool, adding to his T27 and T50 finishes at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, respectively.

However, a tie for 42nd at the Renaissance Club, and a lack of golf on the regular tours, make Harrington believe that is where he will fall short.

He added: “I have talked to Luke about it [being selected], we have talked about it.

“But I think he had about 18 of his players at a dinner in Scotland and I was not there so I was always outside that fringe, so I needed to push on in Scotland and The Open.”

Harrington, who captained Team Europe in 2021, will have to rely on his work on the Champions Tour, including five wins in the past 13 months.

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It is for that reason that long-time coach Pete Cowen ‘told Luke Donald to pick him’, heaping praise on his driving distance and experience.

Harrington played in six Ryder Cups between 1999 and 2010 and could not have come closer to adding the Senior Open title to his trophy cabinet last week.

The former world number three lost in a play-off to Steve Stricker at the Senior PGA Championship in May and fell to the same fate at Royal Porthcawl last week.

Padraig Harrington lost to an Alex Cejka birdie on the second play-off hole, as the German claimed his third Seniors major.

So, Alex Cejka in Rome, anyone?

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.