THERE MAY STILL be 553 days until Darren Clarke leads his European Ryder Cup team across to Atlantic to defend the trophy they won last year but the groundwork for Hazeltine National begins now.
The Northern Irishman was announced as Paul McGinley’s successor last month after a five man panel unanimously decided the 46-year-old was the ideal candidate for the job as Europe go in pursuit of four-in-a-row.
Clarke’s captaincy term officially began yesterday as he met the media at London’s Heathrow Airport and the 2011 Open champion suggested he is considering using Steven Gerrard as one of his motivational speakers ahead of the three-day event.
McGinley famously asked Sir Alex Ferguson to speak in Gleneagles and when Clarke was asked whether he would ask Gerrard, who will be in America playing for LA Galaxy, along to rally the troops, his reply was:
“Well, Los Angeles is not as close to Minnesota so we shall see. Paul [McGinley] obviously got a lot of help and advice from different people who were in management and I will do the same.
“I don’t know if he [Gerrard] will be on the list but there is a few people I’m thinking about.”
Gerrard, who plays off a handicap of 12, is a big golf fan and was pictured with McGinley in the Algarve before Christmas enjoying a round in Portugal.
The former England captain is leaving Liverpool at the end of the season to head Stateside and when Clarke – a Reds supporter – was probed about the subject further, he hinted that Gerrard is a sporting icon he would consider inviting into the team room.
“If I were to do something like that, he’d be someone I’d consider.”
- Originally published 0600
