Skipper urges Europe to heed lessons of Dubs' defeat
European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley of Ireland announces Stephen Gallacher, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood as his three captain's picks during a press conference at Wentworth. Photo: Getty Images
Paul McGinley makes no effort to dodge the issue. The dynamic has changed at the Ryder Cup and Europe, who for so long drew so much spirit from being underdogs, are favourites for this month's showdown at Gleneagles.
As he rounded off the most powerful team to represent Europe with his three picks, McGinley said: "I don't think we are serious favourites but we are favourites and it's something we should be proud of."
Due to fill out his backroom in the next 48 hours with three more assistants (Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Scot Paul Lawrie are expected to get the nod), McGinley insists there'll be no complacency in th camp.
Europe have won eight of the last nine Ryder Cups, while US captain Tom Watson, who led America to their most recent victory on this side of the Atlantic in 1993, must plan without Tiger Woods, Jason Dufner and Dustin Johnson.
Yet the margin between victory and defeat is so narrow in elite sport, McGinley said "we'll have to do our utmost to ensure we finish on the right side of that line and, even then, you never can be certain".
Upset
GAA fan McGinley pointed to last Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final upset as a case in point, where odds-on favourites Dublin were beaten by his dad's native Donegal.
"If you look back to the old days on the European Tour, to the days of John Jacobs, there probably would be tears in his eyes to think Europe has come so far we now are favourites going into the Ryder Cup," said McGinley.
"As we all saw with Dublin and Donegal last week . . . there's no doubt Jim Gavin prepared his team incredibly well and he would've had a strong strategy as well. Yet they went out as heavy favourites and still got beaten.
"This is what happens at the top level. Sometimes it just goes against you and I'm aware that could happen to this European team too. My job is to lessen the odds of it happening."
Even McGinley's Ryder Cup rookies - Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson and Stephen Gallacher - look formidable, especially the Scot, who lives just 35 miles from Gleneagles and invariably performs well there.
Few rookies are given a wild card at the Ryder Cup but McGinley insisted: "I didn't do Stevie Gallacher a favour. He earned his pick with a phenomenal performance last week under enormous pressure.
"We've always known how strong a player Stevie is and his record at Gleneagles is important too. He's a big, powerful golfer as well, a guy who'll be strong if the weather turns poor."
