Jose Maria Olazabal says Padraig Harrington needs to do something extraordinary to make it to Ryder Cup
The three-time major champion Padraig Harrington may not be a part of this year’s European Ryder Cup team because of his slumping performances in the past few months.
He currently ranks 29th in the European Ryder Cup points list and does not have any chance of getting an automatic qualification unless he records a victory in this week’s PGA Championship.
At the same time, Jose Maria Olazabal, the captain for the European team, has also given a hint of neglecting the Irishman. He said that Harrington will have to work really hard in order to make it to the final 12 who will head to Medinah next month.
If he fails to qualify or does not receive invitation to play through captain’s pick, it will be his first time in seven years to miss the team event.
He was the captain’s pick in 2010, when Colin Montgomerie showed his faith in him and asked him to join the squad.
This time, the scenario is completely different. The 40-year-old Dubliner has struggled right from the beginning of the 2012 golf season. Moreover, he has not been consistent in any of the tournaments that he played.
Therefore, only a miracle can earn him a place in the Ryder Cup this year. Otherwise, he will have to wait for another two years if he wants to represent his team in the prestigious event.
Olazabal will announce his captain’s pick after the Johnnie Walker Championship finishes, at the end of this month.
"He has to do really extraordinary well. He's well down the list," Olazabal said. "I've played with him a couple of times during this year. From tee to green, his game has been fairly good, but I think his putting has let him down this year so far".
On the other hand, he looks quite optimistic about Sergio Garcia getting a berth in the team this year too. He represented the European team in each of the last six tournaments.
"You've seen him play a Ryder Cup," Olazabal said of Garcia. "He's a great team player. His spirit is always really good. And in that regard, I think he's a great asset to the team. He has obviously the experience, the knowledge".
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