Padraig Harrington sends scary Ryder Cup message to Team USA

The Europeans have revenge on their minds, particularly contemplating how the People trounced them in report style on the 2021 Ryder Cup.

The U.S., with its youngest group ever, gained 19-to-9, marking the biggest margin of victory in trendy Ryder Cup historical past. By trendy, we imply since 1979, when gamers from all of continental Europe had been allowed to play within the Ryder Cup for the primary time. Earlier than that, solely these from the British Isles may compete.

Irishman Padraig Harrington is aware of all about that landslide victory, contemplating he captained the European facet in 2021.

So nearly two years later, whereas talking to the media forward of this week’s Horizon Irish Open, Harrington despatched a startling message to the People concerning the group the Europeans will roll out in Rome.

“I feel Europe could be very robust this yr. I feel we’re again,” Harrington stated. “I consider we’re again to the Nineteen Eighties, the place our high gamers are literally the perfect gamers on the planet. So I feel the group could be very robust. I feel they’re very a lot in kind.”

Photograph by Stacy Revere/Getty Photos

From 1985 to 1989, the Europeans dominated.

They gained in 1985 and 1987 and retained the cup in 1989 after each side tied at The Belfry in England. Their victory in 1987 marked Europe’s first victory on American soil, which was at Jack’s place—Muirfield Village in Ohio.

Throughout that span, Spaniard Seve Ballesteros, Englishman Nick Faldo, and German Bernhard Langer had been thought to be the three greatest gamers on the planet. Others comparable to Sam Torrance, Sandy Lyle, and Ian Woosnam helped Europe overpower these competitions too.

However almost 4 many years later, comparable sentiments might be stated about Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Viktor Hovland, who will lead the European cost in Italy later this month.

“I feel we simply caught it on our turndown, their upturn,” Harrington stated of the 2021 Ryder Cup, which marked Hovland’s debut within the competitors.

“That one additional yr of COVID, our group went from peaking to barely off and by no means may come again. I stated in quite a few interviews, that many of those gamers are going to go on to play their greatest golf going ahead, they usually have. You take a look at Tommy Fleetwood’s enjoying, you take a look at Matt [Fitzpatrick] gained a significant, you take a look at Tyrrell Hatton enjoying nice, Viktor Hovland.”

Certainly, Fleetwood and Hatton have had masterful years, and Fitzpatrick gained the 2022 U.S. Open by a stroke over Will Zalatoris.

McIlroy and Rahm clearly have six mixed majors.

Photograph by Jason Allen/ISI Pictures/Getty Photos

After which there’s Hovland, the most well liked participant on the planet after his performances within the FedEx Cup playoffs.

“Europe has gotten lots stronger in these final two years,” Harrington added. “As for the U.S. — I don’t need to say that they’re weakening in any form or kind, however definitely there’s quite a lot of gamers that had been at their peak at that second.”

In an attention-grabbing accident, Harrington made these remarks at The Ok Membership, the location of the 2006 Ryder Cup.

The Europeans dominated the People that week, 18.5-to-9.5, which marked a 3rd straight victory for Europe. The 2004 Ryder Cup, held at Oakland Hills in Michigan, had that very same closing rating.

Harrington remembers these occasions vividly, and he feels that Europe can get again there with the younger and proficient gamers that they’ve.

And since he made these feedback on hallowed floor for the Europeans, maybe his prophecy will show true, which can spell bother for the crimson, white, and blue for years to return.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By way of. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko for extra golf protection. Make sure you try @_PlayingThrough too.