‘The US played better than us’ – No excuses from Pádraig Harrington after heavy Ryder Cup defeat

Team Europe captain Pádraig Harrington talks to Ian Poulter during the Ryder Cup singles matches at the Whistling Straits Golf Course

September 26 2021 11:13 PM

Team Europe captain Pádraig Harrington has accepted that his team were beaten by the better side as USA cruised to victory in the 43rd Ryder Cup.

Harrington, however, insisted he did not regret any of his decisions.

"It is a tough loss for us but they just played better than us," he told Sky Sports.

"They (his team) did everything I could ask of them, it was just a tough week on the golf course.

"Obviously better things happening on the course might have changed things but it was always going to be a tall order as this is a strong US team and they got a good start too. A lot of things went against us.

"The one thing I can walk away with is I am very comfortable with all the decisions all along.

"It's a small consolation but it is a consolation."

Harrington refused to use the lack of European support in the partisan American galleries as an excuse for the performance.

"Definitely the US had momentum all the time, they seemed to be holing putts and keeping on going and maybe the crowd was part of that," he added.

"When we holed a putt there was silence and that doesn't feed into the rest of the team.

"It's possible. Who knows? But the reality is the US played better than us."

Europe's players, particularly their senior ones, were far from their best but Ian Poulter said that was not the captain's fault.

"The toughest bit about all of this is this is going to be hard because Paddy will be questioned and that is not fair," Poulter told Sky Sports.

"He has done a great job but we have been outplayed. To what he has given to his captaincy he has done a really nice job.

"Paddy (Harrington) has done an amazing job. Paddy and (his wife) Caroline have given us a team atmosphere and incredible bonding team room.

"That room and group of players we had this week are special guys. It is not fair when you look at the score."

Poulter was tearful after his three and two win over Tony Finau, with the realisation dawning on the 45-year-old it could be his final appearance.

The Englishman was playing his seventh Ryder Cup courtesy of a captain's pick and extended his unbeaten singles record to six wins and a half.

"You put a point on the board and that's all very nice but it doesn't mean anything," he added.

"OK, I'm unbeaten in singles - it's nice personally but this is a team week and it is deflating.

"As a senior player in the team you don't really think there is many more left. I wanted to come here this week and give everything and in the first two days I didn't manage to do anything.

"Today was to give something back but you just don't know if you get the opportunity to go again.

"We have a good young team. We have a team of good young players who will take this forward for many years."