Ryder Cup ?McGinley happy to wait on Cup captaincy

Paul McGinley has said it is an honour to be linked with the 2014 Ryder Cup captaincy but he will not go looking for it.

McGinley, 44, certainly has what it takes to be captain of the European team, but the Irishman says he will not canvass for the 2014 post.

揑 know that I抦 a strong candidate and I would be extremely happy if the captaincy is bestowed on me. But it抯 important for me to keep my head down, try to play good golf and see how it all evolves,?he said.

揟he Ryder Cup captaincy is not something you go out canvassing for. It will be a great honour to be invited to do the job but I think it抯 important it doesn抰 become a political battle, the captaincy.?br />
He certainly has formidable credentials ?all three of his appearances have been on winning teams and he sank the decisive putt to ensure Europe triumphed at the Belfry in 2002.

Last year, McGinley was one of Colin Montgomerie抯 assistants in the dramatic victory over the United States at Celtic Manor, and he led Britain and Ireland to victory in the 2009 Seve Trophy against continental Europe. In two weeks he will again captain Britain and Ireland抯 Seve Trophy squad.

揟here is a long list of candidates,?he said.

揑 don抰 want to make it sound as though they are my opposition at this stage, but they will be on the minds of those selecting the captain.

揟he logical ones are Paul Lawrie, an Open champion from Scotland, with the match being played in Scotland; Miguel Angel Jimenez will be coming to that part of his career, having been a Ryder Cup vice-captain to Seve (Ballesteros) in 1997.

揇arren (Clarke) has a strong case; Thomas Bjorn is another. I抦 sure there are one or two I抳e missed, too.

揟here are three years still to go and it抯 important for whoever gets the captaincy to be on tour and playing well enough to still be in the mix with his players.

揑抦 a firm believer that the captain should still be on the tour. I think that fact has been proved by our successes over the years.

揑f you抮e still playing on the tour you are still familiar with the players. You can play with them, understand them, you hear what抯 going on week in, week out. I think that抯 very important if you want to be a good captain.?br />
McGinley was speaking ahead of the Johnnie Walker Championship which features Europe抯 last successful Ryder Cup captain, Montgomerie, and the captain of next year抯 team in the US, Jose Maria Olazabal.

Edoardo Molinari, whose spectacular finish to win at Gleneagles last year prompted Montgomerie to hand him a Ryder Cup wild card, is in a field which also includes his Celtic Manor team mate and brother, Francesco.