Paul McGinley makes honest admission as he opens up on biggest regret of career
Despite being a four-time European Tour winner, McGinley, 58, still feels the sting from the Surrey-based Match Play tournament, which boasted a whopping £1 million prize pot and ran until 2014.
The 2005 final saw McGinley's erratic driving give the upper hand to New Zealand's Michael Campbell, resulting in a 2&1 loss for the Irishman, despite having overcome players such as Luke Donald and Angel Cabrera to put himself in contention.
In a chat on the Sliced Podcast in March, Ryder Cup icon McGinley reflected on the nuances between match play and stroke play, as well as his lingering sentiments about the match from two decades ago, as per Belfast Live.
"I felt if the world of professional golf was 99 per cent matchplay golf rather than stroke-play, I feel I would've had a better career," he admitted. "I was good head-to-head, I understand moments, I love the cut and thrust of looking your opponent in the eye, playing with him. In a lot of ways I enjoy playing against an opponent rather than the golf course.
"I found it hard to concentrate for 72 holes and my matchplay record was very good, not just in the Ryder Cup. Even the World Matchplay.
"I got beaten in the final one year [2005] - the one time I got to it, by Michael Campbell, probably the biggest regret of my career. Yeah it's always something I enjoyed, and the Ryder Cup has been kind to me."
McGinley is a huge name in Ryder Cup history, having made three consecutive appearances in 2002, 2004, and 2006, with Team Europe emerging victorious each time.
In the 2010 and 2012 editions of the event, McGinley served as vice-captain to Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal respectively. However, it was in the 2014 Ryder Cup that he was named captain.
Under his leadership, the European team defeated the American side, captained by Tom Watson, by a winning margin of 161⁄2 to 111⁄2.
"I've got a lot to thank for the Ryder Cup," he added. "I've had a good career, you know, top 20 in the world, and won tournaments, but Ryder Cup, that's my brand. Would my career have gone on to what it is without the Ryder Cup? Probably not."
McGinely's love for the competition is so strong that he expressed his disappointment in late 2024 after reports suggested that Team USA would share a £4 million prize pot at the 2025 tournament in New York.
Traditionally, players were not paid for their participation in the Ryder Cup, yet American stars could now earn a $200,000 (€175k) stipend, and $300,000 (€262k) for them to distribute to charity, as reported by the Telegraph in November.
"I personally don't like it," McGinley told Sky Sports in 2024. "I know they are professional sportsmen but, boy oh boy, are they not getting paid enough money at the moment, with all that's going on in the game?"
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
3 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
'The dog ate my passport': All Blacks rookie Carter sorts pet's mess to recuse debut
Rookie Leroy Carter was still coming to terms with his inclusion in the All Blacks squad to play in Argentina in the opening rounds of the Rugby Championship when he made the shocking discovery. 'The dog ate my passport.' The utility back with the Hamilton-based Chiefs was one of four uncapped players included in Scott Robertson's Championship squad. The phone call from Robertson informing him of his selection had come as a massive surprise. Carter was rushing to get things together for the squad's assembly and departure when he realized the family dog had intercepted his passport. 'I got my passport out to take a photo to send to the (team) manager and I just left it on my bedside table,' Carter said. 'My partner went to the gym and left my dog home alone and it's gone down the hallway, jumped on the bed and just chewed up the passport and my teeth aligners. 'It was a bit of a shambles yesterday. I was trying to get an emergency one but I think it's all (sorted) now. I thought it would happen to me, something like that, so no point getting stressed about it.' The All Blacks squad leaves Friday to play Argentina in Cordoba on August 17 and Buenos Aires a week later in the first two rounds of the Rugby Championship which also includes Australia and South Africa.
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Why multi-club ownership is causing problems in soccer
By James Callan and Mark Hyland, TU Dublin A few weeks ago, Crystal Palace were bumped from the Europa League to the Europa Conference League. This was not because they finished lower in the table or lost a playoff, but because of multi-club ownership rules. American businessman John Textor and Eagle Football's interest in both Palace and Olympique Lyonnais meant only one of the clubs could enter the Europa League, with the French side's higher league position edging out Palace. Textor has since sold his shares in Palace to New York Jets' owner Woody Johnson. It feels deeply unfair: Palace had done everything right on the pitch, yet still lost out due to shared ownership rules. It is reminiscent of when Chelsea bought French side Strasbourg. At first, it felt like a clever bit of business, but it begs the questions what happens when both clubs reach Europe? Who steps aside? Who gets favoured? And what does that say about where the game is going? Welcome to the world of multi-club ownership, a quiet, confusing force reshaping soccer's future. From RTÉ 2fm's Game On, have Crystal Palace brought the magic back to English soccer by winning the FA Cup and qualifying for Europe? What Is multi-club ownership? Multi-club ownership is when one person or company owns several clubs, often across different countries and, increasingly, within the same competition. In 2012, there fewer than 40 clubs in Europe in this position. By 2023, there were over 230 such clubs. Some of football's biggest names are now part of global networks. Manchester City belongs to the City Football Group, alongside Girona and others. Red Bull owns RB Leipzig and Salzburg. Chelsea's new owners BlueCo have added Strasbourg to their growing portfolio. It's smart business. Clubs can share scouting, staff, even players. But football isn't just business – and this is where the problems begin. What happens when business clashes with matches? Things get messy when these commonly owned clubs start competing against each other. UEFA's "Integrity Rule" exists to prevent this and states that two clubs under the same control can't participate in the same European competition. But enforcement in practice is challenging and patchy. From RTÉ Sport, how Euro expulsion could affect Drogheda United Chelsea and Strasbourg's situation is a perfect example. If both qualify for Europe, one might be forced to drop out That's not speculation; it's the UEFA's rulebook. That's a bitter pill to swallow for Chelsa fans who want to celebrate qualification and not worry if a legal technicality and smart business practices could knock your team out before a ball is kicked. It's not just happening in the big leagues. Drogheda United in Ireland had to clarify its ownership structure after concerns emerged about shared control with Danish club Silkeborg IF which resulted in their expulsion from UEFA competitions for the year. The uncertainty around eligibility casts a shadow over their European hopes too Smaller clubs, bigger costs One of the most uncomfortable consequences of multi-club ownership is what it means for smaller clubs. For many fans, their team is no longer a local institution but a pawn in someone else's corporate strategy. Smaller clubs often become "feeder teams", grooming players for the main club. The best talents don't stay long. They're sold up the chain. It's hard not to feel like the soul of the club is being drained for someone else's gain. From the Financial Times Scoreboard, the rise of the multi-club ownership model in soccer Even the transfer market is impacted. Internal transfers within multi-club groups can inflate player valuations and allow owners to move money creatively, potentially skirting financial fair play rules. The playing field isn't just tilted anymore. It's being redrawn behind closed doors. Can the rules keep up? UEFA's Integrity Rule was born from a 2000 court case, but it hasn't aged well. A good example of inconsistent enforcement is the case of Manchester City and Girona, Both are under the City Football Group umbrella, yet they've managed to compete in Europe without issue, while clubs like Crystal Palace could be punished. As a fan, that feels deeply unfair. The core problem is vagueness. What counts as control? A majority shareholding? A seat on the board? There's room to manoeuvre, and plenty of powerful owners are appear willing to do just that. From RTÉ Sport's Soccer Podcast, Keith Treacy, Richie Towell and Louth-based journalist Barry Landy join Raf Diallo to discuss Drogheda's explusion from the UEFA Conference League over multi-club ownership rules Soccer has always had financial imbalances, but multi-club ownership takes it to another level. This isn't just wealth, it's consolidation. A few groups now control dozens of clubs. We risk losing the magic, that belief that any team can beat the odds. Fans want to cheer for a club, not a corporate logo. What needs to change? To protect the game, several responses must be considered. Including: A three-club cap per ownership group; Only one club per ownership group per UEFA competition tier; Clear definitions of control; Transparency in transfers; Independent oversight. There's a quote in football that pundits and fans alike keep coming back to: "The game belongs to the people." If that's the case, fans need a voice when it comes to this corporate ball game. Because without them, football is just another asset. With Palace's appeal against UEFA's decision to demote them from the Europa League due to be heard this week at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, their supporters will soon know if their team will compete in the Europa League or the Conference League next season. All fans await the court's decision with great interest.
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
My dog ate my passport... Leroy Carter nearly misses All Blacks call-up after calamitous mistake
Chiefs utility back Carter was named among the injury replacements in Scott Robertson's All Blacks squad as one of four uncapped players and admitted that the phone call telling him he'd been included came as a huge shock. Things then got even more bizarre when the 26-year-old found his passport chewed up on his bed, a guilty-looking pet nearby and had to scramble to find a replacement in order to fly to Argentina ahead of the Rugby Championship-opening clash with the Pumas next Saturday (16 August). 'I got my passport out to take a photo to send to the (team) manager and I just left it on my bedside table,' explained Carter. 'My partner went to the gym and left my dog home alone and it's gone down the hallway, jumped on the bed and just chewed up the passport and my teeth aligners. 'It was a bit of a shambles yesterday. I was trying to get an emergency one but I think it's all sussed (sorted) now. I thought it would happen to me, something like that, so no point getting stressed about it, just trying to sort it out.' Most of the All Blacks squad will fly to Argentina on Friday, giving them eight days of preparation for the Test match in Cordoba next weekend. Carter, who represented New Zealand in rugby sevens at the Paris Olympics and won a bronze with the squad at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, earned his first All Blacks call-up after his debut season with the Hamilton-based Chiefs in Super Rugby. He was out for breakfast with his partner and some of his teammates from provincial side Bay of Plenty when New Zealand coach Robertson called to confirm his selection on Monday. 'I got an unknown-number call. I guess I thought if there was a day to answer those it was probably (that day) and he just said congratulations,' added Carter. "I honestly can't really remember what else he said after that. I was pretty emotional and pretty stoked to get a phone call like that. All the boys were pretty pumped but I was still in a bit of a shock."
