Paul is the first Irishman to captain the European in the Ryder Cup, and the only player to have won the trophy in each of three appearances. Leading his national team in their first Olympic contest, Paul describes the pressure to select the right team and to keep your tactical head while battle rages.
Paul McGinley is often remembered as the man who holed the winning putt in the 34th Ryder Cup. His ten footer on the 18th green secured a half point with Jim Furyk and with it the famous trophy for Sam Torrance’s Team. In 2014 Paul returned to the competition as captain to successfully defend the trophy.
Taking up golf when his nascent Gaelic Football career was cut short by injury, Paul’s first big competition was the Walker Cup, starting his admirable reputation as a team player in an individuals’ game. Paul’s successes in team competitions have exceeded his personal results. As well at the Walker Cup where he helped Liam White beat Phil Mickelson and Bob May, he also won the World Cup at Kiawah Island alongside Padraig Harrington.
As a player, Paul reached a point in his career where he was forced to examine his own game and realised he needed to make serious changes in order to succeed. This included an all-round fitness regime that helped him make dramatic improvements to his results. A year after his new start, Paul managed to finish in the top ten in eight competitions. He captured his third European Tour title with the Welsh Open (in a sudden-death play-off), a win which elevated him into the European Ryder Cup Team and paved the way for that dramatic moment on the 18th at The Belfry.
Paul looks at the lessons the game has taught him about personal and team achievement, and how to work with talented individuals not always used to working together. He is the first Irishman to captain a Ryder Cup team and also the first to have won in each of this three appearances as a player. He faces the weight of expectation as Europe seeks to retain the Cup on home soil after back-to-back wins in Medinah and the Celtic Manor.
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