Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington has been named as Europe's captain for the 2020 Ryder Cup.
The 47-year-old has served as a vice-captain at the last three Ryder Cups and
appeared in the biennial contest against the United States six times as a
player, beginning at Brookline in 1999. He was on the winning team in 2002,
2004, 2006 and 2010.
Harrington succeeds Thomas Bjorn in the role for next year's contest at Whistling Straits, where Europe will be bidding to defend the trophy won in convincing fashion in Paris in September.
It's official. #Harrington2020 #TeamEurope pic.twitter.com/qbxxOVkzAc — Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) January 8, 2019
Harrington, who is currently out of action after slipping on the stairs at home over Christmas and breaking a bone in his wrist, said: "Obviously I'm thrilled to be named as Ryder Cup captain for 2020, it's not something I went into lightly.
"You could look at this as being a natural progression from player to vice-captain to captain but it's not something I take on without a certain amount of trepidation.
"I really want to be a help, I want to hopefully leave the European Tour and Ryder Cup in a better place after two years, but I know we are going to a new venue, it's an away match, we're going to have on average three more rookies coming into the team and I have to be part of that team and ensure that I find an edge to make the team perform to the best of their abilities and hopefully get a win."
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