Rory McIlroy’s former coach Pete Cowen believes Padraig Harrington should be included in Europe’s Ryder Cup team this year.
Harrington is pushing to become the oldest-ever Ryder Cup player as he turns 52 a month before the contest in Marco Simone Golf Club, Rome.
The Dubliner has not won on the DP World Tour since 2016 but has won five times on the Champions Tour in the last 13 months including the US Senior Open last year.
Asked whether he should be one of captain Luke Donald’s six wildcards, Cowen told Sky Sports: “I would pick him, definitely. The way he’s playing and his experience.
“He’ll be great in the team room and you can rely on him under pressure He’s playing great, so he definitely would be in my team,” added Cowen who had a brief ill-fated stint with McIlroy in 2021.
Harrington has been bullish about his own chances of making a seventh appearance for Europe having captained the side in 2021.
“I’m in a nice place and I’ll see how I play over the next two weeks and then I’ll have a chat with Luke and if necessary I’ll change my schedule and come back and play a few in Europe which I hadn’t [planned.] My intention was to play some Champions Tour events but if I’m genuinely in contention then I’m prepared to make the effort and come back and prove it,” Harrington told Tim Barter on Friday.
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