Ireland’s Olympic Golf captain Paul McGinley talks Rio2016

Ireland’s Olympic Golf captain Paul McGinley talks Rio2016

When it comes to inspirational leaders, there are few better than Paul McGinley, who drew plenty of plaudits after captaining Europe to victory in the 2014 Ryder Cup. This summer, he will reprise the role for Ireland’s Olympic team and is one of the few who have played the Rio course.

We sat down with Ireland’s skipper to find out what we can expect to see when the players tee it up in August.

You’re one of the few people in the world to play the course. How was it?

It has a links feel to it. It’s about a kilometre from the sea and about 8km from the Olympic Village, so it’s nicely situated.

It will be windy, blowing about 20mph or 25mph most days. The Australian players will feel very familiar there because it’s very similar to the tests they would see along their coasts, particularly in the Sydney and Melbourne areas.

Who else will it suit?

The Americans would be familiar with this type of course because it’s similar to what they see in the Carolinas, the likes of Kiawah Island where Rory won the US PGA in 2012, and Pinehurst. Rory, Shane (Lowry), Graham (McDowell), Leona (Maguire) and Stephanie (Meadows) would all be familiar with this sort of course, too.

You must be incredibly proud to captain your country at the Olympics?

It’s always a great honour to represent your country, either as a player or as part of an administrative role. I think we all have a very big role in projecting our sport in the biggest sporting event in the world.

Looking at the Olympics and seeing other sports people being so successful, why not have golf involved?

The days of the amateur sportsperson at the Olympics are gone.

Will your captaincy experience at the Ryder Cup stand you in good stead?

Of course it should, and I will captain in a very similar way as I did at the Ryder Cup.

Will your role differ slightly from leading Europe at Gleneagles?

It’s quite a different role to Ryder Cup captain, which was a lot more complex and strategic. My role in the Olympics is more about facilitating between the players and the OCI (Olympic Council of Ireland).

Other than Ireland, which golf nations have the best chance of winning a medal in Rio? The obvious contenders in men’s and women’s will obviously be based around the respective world rankings where you have Americans, Australians, Brits and Koreans.

Will the Olympics become as big as the four Majors?

We are certainly not in a position to say that yet. Who knows where it may lead to, but as we speak now that is not obviously the case. This is a chance to open up golf to people all over the world who don’t watch golf, be that in China or India or wherever.

Are you concerned about the Zika virus?

It is a concern to all athletes and visitors to Rio. But the OCI medical experts have taken the lead on this and I am happy to be guided by them.