Paul McGinley makes honest admission as he opens up on biggest regret of career
Dublin-born golf star Paul McGinley has candidly expressed that his defeat in the World Match Play Championship final remains the "biggest regret" of his illustrious career.
Despite being a four-time European Tour winner, McGinley, 58, still feels the sting from the Surrey-based Match Play tournament, which boasted a whopping £1 million prize pot and ran until 2014.
The 2005 final saw McGinley's erratic driving give the upper hand to New Zealand's Michael Campbell, resulting in a 2&1 loss for the Irishman, despite having overcome players such as Luke Donald and Angel Cabrera to put himself in contention.
In a chat on the Sliced Podcast in March, Ryder Cup icon McGinley reflected on the nuances between match play and stroke play, as well as his lingering sentiments about the match from two decades ago, as per Belfast Live.
"I felt if the world of professional golf was 99 per cent matchplay golf rather than stroke-play, I feel I would've had a better career," he admitted. "I was good head-to-head, I understand moments, I love the cut and thrust of looking your opponent in the eye, playing with him. In a lot of ways I enjoy playing against an opponent rather than the golf course.
"I found it hard to concentrate for 72 holes and my matchplay record was very good, not just in the Ryder Cup. Even the World Matchplay.
"I got beaten in the final one year [2005] - the one time I got to it, by Michael Campbell, probably the biggest regret of my career. Yeah it's always something I enjoyed, and the Ryder Cup has been kind to me."
McGinley is a huge name in Ryder Cup history, having made three consecutive appearances in 2002, 2004, and 2006, with Team Europe emerging victorious each time.
In the 2010 and 2012 editions of the event, McGinley served as vice-captain to Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal respectively. However, it was in the 2014 Ryder Cup that he was named captain.
Under his leadership, the European team defeated the American side, captained by Tom Watson, by a winning margin of 161⁄2 to 111⁄2.
"I've got a lot to thank for the Ryder Cup," he added. "I've had a good career, you know, top 20 in the world, and won tournaments, but Ryder Cup, that's my brand. Would my career have gone on to what it is without the Ryder Cup? Probably not."
McGinely's love for the competition is so strong that he expressed his disappointment in late 2024 after reports suggested that Team USA would share a £4 million prize pot at the 2025 tournament in New York.
Traditionally, players were not paid for their participation in the Ryder Cup, yet American stars could now earn a $200,000 (€175k) stipend, and $300,000 (€262k) for them to distribute to charity, as reported by the Telegraph in November.
"I personally don't like it," McGinley told Sky Sports in 2024. "I know they are professional sportsmen but, boy oh boy, are they not getting paid enough money at the moment, with all that's going on in the game?"
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