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Player hails Harrington's Ryder Cup captaincy role

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Padraig Harrington (Getty Images)
Padraig Harrington (Getty Images)

Cape Town - Nine-time Major champion Gary Player has praised the appointment of Padraig Harrington as the European Ryder Cup captain for the 2020 edition.

Harrington, a three-time Major champion, was confirmed on Tuesday as captain of the reigning champions for the 2020 Ryder Cup, which gets under way at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

Player, who is a three-time International team captain in the Presidents Cup, took to Twitter to send well wishes to his friend, Harrington:

"A most deserved appointment as Captain of @RyderCupEurope @padraig_h. Your attitude, experience as a player and Vice-Captain will serve you well indeed, also being a Major Champion. No doubt a fierce battle ahead on USA home frontier. Respect my friend."

Harrington has represented Europe six times as a player - including being part of four triumphs - while latterly he has brought his extensive experience to the role of vice-captain in the past three editions of the biennial contest.

The 47-year-old joins Paul McGinley (2014) and Darren Clarke (2016) from Ireland, who've led Europe and hopes to be the first European captain to win on American soil since 2012.

Europe, under the captaincy of Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, stunned a strong United States contingent 17.5-10.5 to lift the 2018 Ryder Cup title at Le Golf National.

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