Becoming the first Irish Ryder Cup captain will probably rank highest on Paul McGinley’s list of personal highlights.

When Team Europe take to the course at Gleneagles in 2014, for the sequel to the Miracle of Medinah, the Dubliner will have the prestigious honour of picking the team and rallying the troops.

McGinley certainly has pedigree and a wealth of experience at the Ryder Cup.

He played a key role as one of Jose Maria Olazabal’s assistants at the Miracle of Medinah at 2012 and as a player was also part of the European teams that triumphed in 2002, 2004 and 2006, holing the winning putt at The Belfry in ’02.

In the lead up to the captaincy vote, Rory McIlroy - along with Ian Poulter and Luke Donald - was one the 46-year-old’s biggest cheerleaders when his cap was thrown into the ring and according to the Holywood golfer, one thing resonated with him: McGinley’s leadership skills.

"Best captain"

Drawing from his experience of playing under McGinley at the Seve Open in 2009, McIlroy described the Dubliner as the best captain he has ever played for – high praise indeed.

It needn’t have been much of a contest in the first place. However a late push to get Colin Montgomerie to mount a captaincy bid could have scuppered McGinley’s chances.

Monty is one of the great Ryder Cup players but he has already had a shot at the captaincy, winning in 2010, with Paul McGinley as one his vice-captains.

And in the last nine tournaments, Europe has had a different captain which suggests that there is an unwritten rule that the captaincy is an honour to be passed on tournament by tournament.

Fortunately for McGinley, the committee saw fit to give that honour to Irishman.

And you can listen to Paul speaking to Ger on our Newstalk Podcast.