{"id":23221,"date":"2021-09-27T10:54:33","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T14:54:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23221"},"modified":"2021-09-27T10:54:36","modified_gmt":"2021-09-27T14:54:36","slug":"harrington-europe-has-strength-going-forward-despite-record-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23221","title":{"rendered":"Harrington: Europe Has ‘Strength Going Forward’ Despite Record Loss"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Padraig Harrington talks after Europe’s record loss to the USA (PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Defeated European captain Padraig Harrington insists the future remains bright despite their record Ryder Cup loss to the United States at Whistling Straits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A home team boasting 10 of the world\u2019s top 13 players raced to a 19-9 victory \u2013 the biggest winning margin in the modern era \u2013 having dominated from the first day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was seen as a changing of the guard for the USA team, for whom Dustin Johnson was the oldest player at 37 and which had an average age of 29, compared to their opponents\u2019 34.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 43rd Ryder Cup will most probably prove the final fling as players for European veterans like Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, but Harrington believes the next generation can flourish in a team built around the likes of world number one Jon Rahm (26), Rory McIlroy (32), Shane Lowry (34) and rookie Viktor Hovland (24).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook, there are young guys in this team that will be the heart of the team going forward,\u201d Harrington said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJon Rahm, clearly. Viktor. These are young guys that will be there for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut there\u2019s a good heart to the team. Everybody keeps going on about the experienced guys but there is a really solid heart on this team of players who are still coming into their peak of their careers.19-9Europe suffered their heaviest Ryder Cup defeat in the modern era<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are a lot of guys in the middle of their career now who should be moving on in their golf. They certainly haven\u2019t peaked yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, we would look to young guys coming in over the future, but the heart of this team will be here for a few more years for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey haven\u2019t got to their peaks yet, so we should see some strength going forward. There\u2019s plenty of guys here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll draw lessons from this week, but most of these guys were winning in Paris (in 2018), so there\u2019s still quite a winning mentality there going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McIlroy, whose disappointing Ryder Cup was lifted by him winning his first point of the week going out in the opening singles match against Xander Schauffele, is already looking ahead to two years\u2019 time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He expects the US team to have a similar look in Italy as he knows the quality they possess with half of the current team all major winners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s phenomenal talent on that team. I think the most important thing for the US team is a lot of young guys that are great players have bought into the Ryder Cup,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think that was probably missing in previous generations but guys like Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, you know, the sort of heartbeat of that US team, they really bought into the team aspect of Ryder Cups, Presidents Cups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are going to be formidable opposition from now until I\u2019m probably not playing Ryder Cups, whenever that is, in hopefully 20 years\u2019 time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we have an opportunity in Rome, hopefully I\u2019m on that team and it will make getting that Cup back even sweeter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rahm and Hovland have also set their sights on the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m hoping I can keep playing good enough to be in this team again. I don\u2019t want to take anything for granted,\u201d said Spain\u2019s world number one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hope we can repeat it because that is something I want to do again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hovland, who became Norway\u2019s first Ryder Cup player, found the team environment an eye-opener.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was such a cool experience getting to know these guys a lot better. Maybe a little too well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I can\u2019t wait to come back in two years\u2019 time and and get even closer.\u201d<\/p>\n

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