Padraig Harrington SNUBBED European Ryder Cup 'hopefuls' dinner invite

Padraig Harrington comes to terms with likely having fallen short of one of Luke Donald's six captain picks in the 2023 European Ryder Cup side.

Andy Roberts

02 Aug 2023

Padraig Harrington SNUBBED European Ryder Cup 'hopefuls' dinner invite

Padraig Harrington admits he has "not done enough" to earn one of one of Luke Donald's six captain picks in the 2023 European Ryder Cup side, especially after he was snubbed an invite to attend a dinner at the Scottish Open, according to Mirror Sport.

Harrington, 51, was bidding to become the oldest ever player to compete in a Ryder Cup match at Marco Simone in Italy this September.

The current record is held by American Ray Floyd at 51 years and 20 days at the 1993 Ryder Cup at The Belfry.

Ted Ray holds the record for eldest player on the European side at 50 years and 67 days, albeit that was when it was just a Great British team.

In the modern era, Lee Westwood is the oldest European Ryder Cup player at 48 years and 153 days.

But despite a number of impressive performances on the PGA Tour Champions with five wins since June 2022, on top of an agonising playoff defeat to Alex Cejka at the Senior Open Championship at Royal Porthcawl on the weekend, Harrington believes he has come up shy for what would have been a seventh playing appearance at the Ryder Cup.

Harrington, who captained the European Ryder Cup side to a heavy record defeat in 2021, finished tied 10th at the Texas Open earlier this season to prove he can still mix it with the best on the PGA Tour, and he performed admirably at the US Open with a tie for 27th.

The three-time Open champion felt he had an outside chance to earn one of Donald's picks last month, but ultimately he now considers he has not done enough following ties for 42nd at the Scottish Open and 64th at The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

Harrington told Mirror Sport:

"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, those in particular. 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."

While the Irishman had held minor discussions with Donald about a potential pick over recent weeks and months, he was snubbed an invite to attend a European Ryder Cup 'hopefuls' dinner during the Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club.

That particular dinner is said to have seen Donald host a group of 18 European players.

Only Harrington wasn't on the guest list.

Harrington said:

"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."

As it stands, the six automatic players in Donald's team are Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Robert MacIntyre, Victor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood.

But much can and likely will change over the coming weeks in August with some huge events on the schedule.

It remains to be seen how many events Harrington decides to come over and play on the DP World Tour this month, but he is likely going to need a win to force Donald's hand.

Donald will name his six captain's picks on September 4, the Monday after the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.

Here's a look at the current European Ryder Cup standings, and here's a look at who we think will make the team (although we must admit our choices change every week given how wide open it is!)

Back in 2021 when Harrington acted as a non-playing European Ryder Cup captain at Whistling Straits, Harrington made it clear he still had intentions to play in another team.

"Golfers are dreamers, well they should be dreamers anyway... I am always dreaming! I get up and practice and every time I go to the range it is an opportunity to look forward and hope. There is always a possibility of doing something. I am delighted I am playing well. I felt physically I was playing well the last couple of years, sometimes not so hot mentally but the Champions Tour has really helped me in that department. You have to create your own reality and believe it."

Which 12 players do you think will make Luke Donald's European Ryder Cup team? Would you take Harrington simply for experience? Share your thoughts and comments over on the GolfMagic social media channels.

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