Dubai: Darren Clarke on Wednesday said Tiger Woods’ public support of his 2016 European Ryder Cup captaincy was “high praise from the best player in the world” as he prepares to play in this week’s Asian Tour season-ending Dubai Open.
Woods this week joined a list of top names including Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood, Justin Rose and Ian Poulter to have spoken out in support of the Northern Irishman leading Europe in the biennial match against the US, which in 2016 will take place at Hazeltine National in Minnesota.
But, while the 2011 Open Championship winner said he would love to take up the role, he was equally as keen to divert attention.
“It’s obviously something I’d love to do,” said Clarke. “But it’s not something you petition for, if my name was put forward I would love to do it, but it’s something the committee needs to decide.”
Woods had recently told The Irish Examiner: “It’s true Darren and I go back a long way, all the way back to when both he and I were working with Butch [Harmon] and that’s back to around 2000, so I’ve known Darren a long time.
“If I make the 2016 US Ryder Cup team, and that’s the goal, then I think it would be fun to be in a US team with Darren as the rival European Team captain because I’ve played with him and against him and we’ve always had a blast.”
Clarke replied: “If the best player in the world says it would be a blast then that’s high praise. Tiger’s a good friend and we’ve known each other a long time.
“But there are a few other guys in the running for it and, whoever the committee decides will be captain, I’m sure will do a great job.
“It would be a huge honour, but until such time as I’m lucky enough to be asked, I’ll just keep playing my golf and see what happens.”
Clarke is currently the favourite to become European Ryder Cup captain in 2016 ahead of Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez. But it is understood his relations with previous captain Paul McGinley, who he initially supported to become captain in 2014 only to switch allegiance to Colin Montgomery, could come into play, particularly as McGinley is now on the committee to select his successor.
The inaugural Dubai Open takes place at The Els Club in Sports City from Thursday to Sunday.
