Paul McGinley is Europe’s 2014 Ryder Cup captain

McGinley acknowledged he doesn’t have the playing record of some previous captains but felt he brings an uncanny ability to win as part of a team. He has been on three Ryder Cup-winning teams and was vice captain for Europe in 2010 and for the improbable comeback win last year at Medinah.

Europe will defend the trophy at Gleneagles, Scotland.

“What I did do in my career was I always performed extremely highly when I did play as part of a team. I don’t know why,” said McGinley, who credits growing up playing Gaelic football for instilling that mindset. “I wish I could have done the same as an individual. But I certainly went to another level when I played in team golf.”

The Americans last month picked Tom Watson to captain the U.S. team at Gleneagles. Watson will be 65 when the event starts, making him by far the oldest man to fill the role and the first repeat captain for the United States since 1987. But he’s also the last American to lead the team to victory on the road in 1993, and he knows how to win in the blustery Scottish weather.

Watson congratulated McGinley on his nomination.

“(I) anticipate that his passion and love of the event will transfer to being an outstanding leader of his team in 2014 at Gleneagles,” Watson said. “Paul has been connected to four winning European Ryder Cup Teams and is an outstanding representative of European golf. I look forward to sharing the stage with him as we make our journey to Scotland.”

McGinley said he welcomed the chance to face Watson, someone he never competed against as a player.

“Not only is he a wonderful person, but he’s a great ambassador for the game of golf and has been for a long, long time,” McGinley said.

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