“I think that ship has sailed” - Padraig Harrington dismisses chances of a seventh Ryder Cup appearance

The Ryder Cup has been on every golfer’s mind over the past few weeks. From LIV Golf players to the Hero Cup participants, almost all golfers want to know if they can make the international squad. However, Padraig Harrington is not among these golfers.

Amid talks about possible selections for the Ryder Cup, Padraig Harrington has now revealed that the competition isn’t on his agenda for the season. The Irish golfer admitted a seventh Ryder Cup appearance seems unlikely for him.

Stating that he thinks 'that ship has sailed', Harrington added that he could maybe win another Major or a PGA Tour event at best. The 51-year-old golfer from Dublin was speaking after finishing tied 25th in the Ras Al Khaimah Championship when he said that he wasn’t looking forward to the Ryder Cup.

He said:

“I think that ship has sailed. For me to play Ryder Cup, to make the team, it would be very obvious. It is not something I have to worry about. I would basically have to go out and win a Major or something like that. I won’t be scraping into the team.”

He added:

“If I make the team, it would be obvious. You don’t make it by playing on the Champions Tour, but if I did something obvious like I played well on the PGA Tour, won some events, something like that.”

Padraig Harrington

@padraig_h

Shot 70, 5 under for tied 23rd,6 behind. What a difference a day makes, struggled off the tee, never felt comfortable. I’ve now hit 8 fairways this week, which is the median number. No player has hit more than 50% of fairways(2 have hit 50%)in almost perfect weather @DPWorldTour

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Shot 70, 5 under for tied 23rd,6 behind. What a difference a day makes, struggled off the tee, never felt comfortable. I’ve now hit 8 fairways this week, which is the median number. No player has hit more than 50% of fairways(2 have hit 50%)in almost perfect weather @DPWorldTour https://t.co/mlhLMsIslC

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Padraig Harrington's priority is not the Ryder Cup

It is pertinent to note that Padraig Harrington has every right to expect a call-up to the Ryder Cup squad. The golfer had a decent outing at the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship earlier in January. He finished fourth.

Considering that several Ryder Cup stalwarts defected to LIV Golf, another call-up for Harrington was only natural. However, the US Senior Open champion seems to have abandoned all hope of playing in the competition.

Harrington said:

“If it’s your priority to play Ryder Cup, then you’d have played Wentworth last year. You would have played Italy last year, you would have played Italy this year, and if you don’t play those events, it is only something else, some of the big stars won’t be playing (them). But if making the Ryder Cup was your only goal then you would be playing Italy last year.”

He continued:

“Robert MacIntyre winning in Italy last year, it is hard to see him not getting a pick based on that. The same again this year. Whoever wins this year, if they are in contention, will get a pick… Wentworth, the same thing. You have got to play these. For most guys, you have got to chase it if you want to make it. I am not chasing it. If it happens, it would happen because I have done something else rather than chase the Ryder Cup.”

Harrington will be at the US Open at the Los Angeles Country Club in June, as well as PGA Championship at Oak Hill and July’s Open Championship at Hoylake in May.

A past winner of those two Majors, it will be interesting to see how Harrington performs at the event. While the golfer dismissed the chances of making the Ryder Cup squad, the option remains available.

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