Padraig Harrington: 'I don't want Ryder Cup captaincy yet'

Padraig Harrington has said that he does not want to be named as Europe's Ryder Cup captain for the 2018 edition at Le Golf National in Paris.

Harrington served as a vice-captain in the 2014 and 2016 tournaments and is thought to be among the early contenders to take the main job in two years' time.

However, the three-time Major winner is keen to play at the tournament and hopes that the captaincy opportunity will come up again at a later date.

"[With] the Ryder Cup, Paul McGinley kind of changed the parameters. It took three-and-a-half years out of Paul McGinley's life. It certainly took two years out of Darren Clarke's playing career. I want to be a player. If I go for the captaincy nobody is going to give me back the 45th and 46th years in terms of my playing career," he told Sky Sports News.

"It's a huge sacrifice and as much as I would love to be Ryder Cup captain, selfishly I want to be a golfer. I want to compete and win tournaments so I'm going to push it down the road.

"Hopefully I will get an opportunity down the road. At the moment I am focused on playing. Whether it's a reality or not or whether it's a possibility, in my head I am going to make the Ryder Cup team in 2018."

Europe will be looking to regain the trophy in Paris following their 17-11 defeat at Hazeltine earlier this month.