Elmes, John (14 April 2016). "Interview with Paul McGinley". Times Higher Education . Retrieved 30 April 2017. Remember, rewind six years and he was a player himself: when he captained the European Team, he led players who were once his peers. But one side was far better prepared for the task and one team was melded into a single unit. That team was Europe.

Before his victory in the 2005 Volvo Masters, McGinley had three runner-up finishes in tournaments that year, finishing second to Ángel Cabrera in the BMW Championship at Wentworth and losing in the final of the HSBC World Match Play Championship at the same venue to New Zealander Michael Campbell (2 & 1). In an absorbing contest, Campbell clinched the title with a half on the penultimate hole after McGinley had driven wildly into the trees on the previous two holes. McGinley later said he was "hurt like you can't imagine" after losing in the final. He said: "I fought as hard as I could and I'm bitterly disappointed." [13]

Learning objectives

Faldo was asked: "Since you became captain, many of your decisions have been criticised. In the wake of this defeat, you'll receive more criticism tomorrow no doubt from the British press. I wonder, do you care, and if not, why not?" McGinley was an outstanding captain, perhaps Europe's finest, and Poulter agreed the role was taken to a new level. He added: "Every player is so proud that they have put that trophy in his hands." The European's celebrate their victory together with their partners showing the team spirit was strong From before he was appointed, McGinley's every thought and move was designed to create such a platform for his European team. He made three consecutive and victorious Ryder Cup appearances in 2002, 2004 and 2006, with his ten-foot putt on the 18th hole in his match against Jim Furyk winning the 2002 Ryder Cup for Europe.

He was the winning captain of Europe in the 2014 Ryder Cup, and Ireland's first Ryder Cup European captain.

Horizontal menu

In 2010, McGinley acted as Vice Captain to Colin Montgomerie, and again to Jose Maria Olazabal in 2012. The following year, Paul was announced as the Europe team captain for the 2014 Ryder Cup – the first Irishman to do so. His team went on to beat the USA.

Being self-aware allowed him to shore up his weaknesses – to the extent that he not only became a focused leader, he was scrupulous. His players praised him as “meticulous” for his leadership skills during the Ryder Cup when his opposition Tom Watson – who yes, might have been a bigger name in golf – allegedly left his team wanting. McGinley led a team of 12 European players against the American team, captained by Tom Watson, to success in 2014. The world-respected professional golfer famously sank the winning putt on his first Ryder Cup appearance in 2002, and, after his 2004 and 2006 successes, became the first European golfer to win the tournament in each of his three appearances. Corrigan, James (16 January 2013). "The vote for Paul McGinley as Ryder Cup captain was not just one for Rory McIlroy and Co ... but one for sense". The Daily Telegraph. London . Retrieved 16 January 2013.It was a strategic decision that freed him up to watch each game on a large screen and plot the next coordinates of the game plan. It also meant the players sitting out of any given session had a dedicated vice-captain by their side, as did the players on the turf. He knew who was where, how they played and vitally, how they felt. He also relied on the players’ closest confidantes: the caddies. “If the caddies said there was a problem, I knew there was a problem.”

People play golf alone, and they play for themselves: some say it’s a selfish sport. Yet McGinley admits he wasn’t very good at playing so single-mindedly, he’s a natural team player, which is why he leads with empathy. Garcia then added to applause from his team-mates: "Yeah, it's true," before providing more words of support for the under-fire captain.Paul Noel McGinley (born 16 December 1966) is an Irish professional golfer who has won four events on the European Tour. At the 2002 Ryder Cup, he famously holed a ten-foot putt on the 18th hole in his match against Jim Furyk at The Belfry which won the Ryder Cup for Europe. [2] He was the winning captain of Europe in the 2014 Ryder Cup and the first Irishman to captain Europe's Ryder Cup side. [3] Early years [ edit ] U.S. Beats Britain-Ireland, Regains Walker Cup". Los Angeles Times. 7 September 1991 . Retrieved 13 February 2013.