McGinley recruits experienced trio as Cup vice-captains

Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jose Maria Olazabal (pictured) will complete Europe's vice-captaincy line-up for the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, captain Paul McGinley has announced.

The trio have 17 Ryder Cup appearances between them and join Des Smyth and Sam Torrance in McGinley’s back-room staff as the home side look to retain the trophy against the United States from September 26-28.

Olazabal played in the contest seven times and captained the side in the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012, while Harrington has made six appearances and Jimenez four.

Jimenez was vice-captain to Seve Ballesteros in 1997 and Olazabal two years ago and was also made captain of the European team in the inaugural EurAsia Cup by McGinley.

McGinley said: “I know it’s been common in the past to have three or four vice-captains but I’ve gone for five because I feel an extra person is justified due to the additional workload which comes from being the home team, in addition to how well I saw such a system working when we ended up having five vice captains under Colin Montgomerie at Celtic Manor in 2010 (Sergio Garcia was a late addition).

“Padraig is my oldest friend on Tour and is a guy I have known most of my life.

“I have complete confidence and trust in all five of my vice-captains and the help they will give me in the difficult quest of trying to retain the Ryder Cup.”

Scotland’s Paul Lawrie has been overlooked.

Sheffield’s Matt Fitzpatrick joins fellow Yorkshiremen Danny Willett and John Parry at the picturesque Alpine course of Crans-sur-Sierre in Switzerland for the Omega European Masters.

Fitzpatrick, who turned 20 on Monday, is playing on his fourth of seven sponsors invites afforeded to him after turning professional in June. He is 187th on the Race to Dubai and in need of a couple of good results over the coming weeks to get into the top 110 to earn a card for next season. Fitzpatrick could also get in via the Challenge Tour, where he has been plying his trade for the last four tournaments, finishing no lower than 42nd.

Willett, who has missed just one cut all year, is 38th on the order of merit.

Contrastingly, Harrogate’s Parry has missed 21 cuts in a row during a horrendous spell that dates back to December.