• Ryder Cup

Langer tells McGinley: Take me to Gleneagles!

ESPN staff
July 29, 2014
Bernhard Langer won the Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl by a record-smashing 13 shots © Getty Images
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Bernhard Langer has called on European captain Paul McGinley to pick him for September's Ryder Cup.

Langer, who played in 10 Ryder Cups between 1981 and 2002 before taking the role of skipper in 2004, is in outstanding form this season. The German has won two of the five senior major championships - including last week's Open by an astonishing 13 shots and the Players in June - as well as top 10 finishes in the other three.

He also finished in a tie for eighth at The Masters in April and his run has seen him tipped by many for a spot in the European team at Gleneagles.

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"I certainly feel my golf is worthy of playing in the Ryder Cup," he said.

"We've been talking about it for a number of years now because I've been playing some really good golf the last six or seven years.

"But it's up to the captain."

Tom Watson, the American Ryder Cup captain who finished 20 shots behind 56-year-old Langer at Royal Porthcawl, added: "I'd certainly be saying to Paul [McGinley] that this guy is playing so well he might be worth a pick.

"The way he is hitting it just now Gleneagles is a course that could be played by Bernhard."

Tony Jacklin, Europe's most successful captain of all time, has also supported Langer's case.

"Bernhard's a great team man," Jacklin, whose record as skipper reads won two, drawn one and lost one, told Sky Sports.

"I'd be thinking very seriously indeed if I was Paul McGinley because even the young guys wouldn't have beaten his score [in the Senior Open].

"It was a fantastic performance from him."

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