"Paul McGinley found himself under scrutiny as part of a European Ryder Cup committee that also includes Damon Buffini, Richard Scudamore and Ian Ritchie. The narrative was that this was a tired European team and there were no players coming through the ranks to change things against young, dynamic Americans who have figured out how to win Ryder Cups, McGinley recalls. People said they were going to win the next 10. It's fair to say I got a bit of a talking to from that committee about taking a more active role in overseeing what we were doing."
"At Bethpage, he will be on the sidelines but provide an important sounding board as Donald and his players try to break the mould with a win on the road. We have nailed the home Ryder Cup templates but we have not nailed the away ones, McGinley says. If we go out and lose by five or six points again, that will be crushing for us. I don't see that happening."
Paul McGinley transitioned from committee scrutiny after the 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits into a formal strategic adviser role to Luke Donald. He supports the team at Bethpage, offering tactical input and experience to improve Europe's away Ryder Cup record. Preparations have intensified with scouting trips, virtual-reality headsets for players to sample tee ferocity, and a significantly larger budget running into millions. The aim is to break the pattern of heavy away defeats, narrow the margin in away matches, and potentially secure a rare road victory through meticulous planning, attention to detail, and a strong playing roster.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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