McGinley Defends Watson

Victorious European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley isn't pleased with the criticism being levelled at his American counterpart, Tom Watson.

Watson has been flayed in the press - and even by one of his players, Phil Mickelson - for his strategy at the recent Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland, where the Americans were vanquished 16½ to 11½, their third consecutive defeat and eighth in the last 10 biennial competitions.

"Tom is a competitor," McGinley said Monday. "There's no tougher competitor in the game than Tom Watson. We all know that. He's incredibly disappointed. I saw him this morning and he is very disappointed but you know what? He's got that smile, that steely grin.

"He's a hard man, I've said that from day one, and he's a man I respect. In the last two years, I have respected him even more. My respect for him was way up there before. I feel very privileged to have been on this journey with Tom Watson who has been a great hero of mine throughout my life; that was a win-win situation."

McGinley felt that the Americans were serious about the competition. "One thing the Americans are, they are very proud of their country," he said. "If you saw some of the American players like I saw backstage at the closing ceremony as well, there was tears in their eyes. This was tough. This really hurts."

But maybe McGinley had a better plan, and better players. "I wanted the players to leave with a sense of bonding towards each other that will last them a lifetime and I'd like to think we've achieved that, irrespective of whatever the result was," he said. "I had other goals than winning the Ryder Cup this week, a lot of other goals: the bonding, the connection, the memories, the photographs, the images.

"The last video I showed on Saturday night was of great European success in the Ryder Cup. Holding trophies, Seve, Tony Jacklin, José María Olazábal, Sam Torrance, all the way, the great guys holing big putts, Graeme McDowell, Martin Kaymer and all the way back to all the great successes we've had. I said: 'Remember guys, tomorrow's images will be used in footage for future captains when they are making videos like this. Let's make moments to add to this, add to the catalogue of success.' "

McGinley said that he won't serve as Europe's captain again, but he would have input on his successor. "I'll make a professional decision based on the views of people that I respect," he noted. "I was very much validated by the players. I'm going to get a large opinion from a lot of players and a lot of people before I put my opinion forward."

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