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Dougherty champions 'father figure' Harrington

08/09/2008

English golfer Nick Dougherty has called on double Open Championship winner Padraig Harrington to be the 'father figure' in the European Ryder Cup team.

Dougherty narrowly missed out on selection to the team, but he believes it is up to the Irishman to take on the mantle of veteran campaigner Colin Montgomerie, who will be absent from the side for the first time since 1991.

Harrington does not possess the same matchplay experience as the Scot but he enters coming off the back of an excellent 12 months that has seen him win three Majors.

And Dougherty says this is likely to make him one of the key men in the European team looking to retain the trophy at Valhalla later this month.

"Padraig's confidence is going to be high after winning three majors in a year," said Dougherty, speaking at the launch of the Golf in the City promotion at Canary Wharf.

"He'll also be one of the guys the others will look to as a leader. Obviously not having Colin in the team for the first time in a long time is going to be a blow so someone needs to come in and take on the 'fatherly' role if you like and guide the team through.

"That's what Colin always did and it's going to take someone like Padraig to do that.

"He's not got the same amount of victories that Colin has but he obviously stands out as being the leader of this team."

Despite missing out himself and the fact that the 2008 team lacks the cool head and presence of Montgomerie, Dougherty said he has every confidence the ten-man lineup is more than capable of continuing Europe's six-year winning run.

"Everyone's playing great so it is hard to see where the biggest points winner will come from," he added.

"I fully expect our guys to go there and get the trophy."