Ryder Cup hero Eamonn Darcy this week demanded an end to 'crazy' European in-fighting over the Ryder Cup captaincy.

While the Americans chose Hal Sutton over eight months ago, Europeans Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam all want to skipper the side in the US in 2004.

But there's an even bigger stampede to take charge at the K Club in 2006 with Woosnam, Faldo and Colin Montgomerie lining up alongside home hopes Darcy, Des Smyth and Christy O'Connor Jnr.

Darcy stormed: "There is too much emphasis on captaincy. The players are there and if they don't do the work and play well it doesn't matter if you have God Almighty as the captain, you are not going to win.

"The politics is just ridiculous in the Ryder Cup. People are putting too much importance on the captaincy. It's the players who win the Ryder Cup, not the captain.

"Langer, Lyle, Woosnam - they have all put their hat in the ring. I think we should stop messing around and just do it like the Americans and pick the captain as soon as possible.

"The American chose Hal Sutton with no fuss shortly after they lost at the Belfry the last time. They knew who they wanted. But far too much secrecy goes into picking our own captain.

"You need to do it early - a year before at least - so the players get to know who the captain is and get used to him."

Scot Montgomerie agrees with Darcy and believes that the matter should not be dragged out.

He said: "I don't want to get into a bidding war. Once the American captain is announced, we tend to get into a bidding war. We already have three up for the next one, Woosie, Langer and Sandy and two people are going to have to lose and we don't want a situation where people lose out on a Ryder Cup captaincy.

"I feel it should be announced somehow. Asked in private, accepted and then announced as opposed to being played out in the press and public. There are only losers then, no winners."

The mess will not be sorted out until the British Open in mid-July when the 2004 selection is announced.

Darcy, 50, played in the Ryder Cup four times between 1975 and 1987. In his final appearance at Muirfield Village he holed a crucial downhill putt to beat Ben Crenshaw by one hole give Europe its first away win.

But while he is disappointed that an Irishman looks unlikely to get the job in 2006, he will be giving the side his full support.

He said: "Whatever happens - I know Christy Des and myself, even if we are not involved, we are going to be 200 percent behind the team playing in Ireland. I'm going to be there supporting them, no matter what."

But there is still a lot of anger in Irish golfing circles over the way the captaincy issue is being handled by the European Tour.

K Club owner Dr Michael Smurfit and officials at Bord Failte are reported to be bitterly disappointed that an Irishman will not get the job.

And Darcy is equally miffed that the home brigade will be lucky to be offered the vice captaincy or a even a backroom job.

He said: "Being number two is no good and it's looking like it could be that way. The captain is there to do a job and have a look at pairings. There really is to much emphasis on the captain because he doesn't win the Ryder Cup. It's not rocket science.

"It's a big job and a lot of responsibility. But you just have to know how the guys are playing and that's not that difficult. It's easy to see who is playing well when you are out there watching the games. It's a great honour to be captain but it is an honorary job at the end of the day.

"When it comes down to a matchplay situation - one on one - anybody can be beaten on the day, even Tiger Woods. Mark James made a bit of a mess of it, not playing three of his players until the singles on the last day.

"Putting out top players makes no difference. I remember in the old days when captains would put out the top men. But they could be playing the biggest load of rubbish. But they kept playing them because they felt that these guys were great players. But it is no use if you are playing bad on the day."

Time has not been a friend to Darcy, O'Connor or Smyth and the fact that all three are no longer active on the Tour will stand against them.

Darcy admitted: "The sad thing is that we have left the European Tour now. We are five years too late.

"Christy, Des and myself have contributed a lot to the tour in the last 30 years. We've supported that tour and played a huge part in that Ryder Cup in vital matches. The time will come when Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke will get heir chance. But this is disappointing."

Like Smyth, the big Delgany man will have to be content with raking in the cash in the US Champions Tour where he looks likely to get another eight starts this season.

While is 17th in the list with $434,938 from ten events, Darcy has managed to earn $200,629 from just four appearance to be 37th.

"I haven't played well since Mexico but I am starting to play well again now and will get into the re-rank and the last eight tournaments."

Darcy will get his chance to shine in three Senior majors this summer - the Ford Senior Open, the US Seniors PGA and the Senior British Open at Turnberry.

(Harrington joins US PGA Tour as temp member)

Padraig Harrington has joined the US PGA Tour as a special temporary member.

It means he can take unlimited exemptions as he decides whether to play more in the United States.

Harrington, who is the highest-ranked European in the world rankings at number seven, has earned $572,000 in four PGA Tour events this year.

As he has earned more than the 150th player made last year in the US, he is eligible for temporary membership.

"I really like playing here," Harrington said. But Harrington said he would only become a full-time member at the end of the season if he plans on playing 18 to 20 PGA Tour events. And he made it clear that the European tour would remain his primary circuit.

"There is no way I would not do Europe," he said. "It's whether I can balance it out and play here, as well."

(Amateur championship)

Seven Irishmen will join players from 27 countries in Amateur championship at Royal Troon on Monday.

Noel Fox (Portmarnock), Colm Moriarty (Athlone), Alastair McKinley (Shandon Park), Gareth Maybin (Ballyclare), Michael McGeady (City of Derry), Justin Kehoe (Birr) and Lee Owens (Royal Dublin) make up the Irish contingent.

Fox, who won the Irish Amateur Open Championship at Royal Dublin earlier this year will miss the opportunity to defend his East of Ireland title as the two championships overlap by one day.

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© Brian Keogh 2003

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