Padraig Harrington says Rory McIlroy WILL play in the 2020 Ryder Cup

Padraig Harrington has confirmed Rory McIlroy WILL be included in his 2020 European Ryder Cup side, despite ongoing doubts the Ulsterman is set to pass up his European Tour membership.

McIlroy, 29, has controversially revealed he may not fulfil the requirements for European Tour membership, which could leave him ineligible for the biennial clash against the United States at Whistling Straits in 2020.

Should McIlroy not compete in at least four European Tour tournaments outside the majors and World Golf Championships this season, he will fail to retain his membership - something that has worried many Europeans given McIlroy currently has just the two on his early schedule.

Under recent new European Tour rules, McIlroy would also lose the chance to one day captain a European Ryder Cup side should he decline membership of the Tour. 

The four-time major winner last week described the European Tour as a "stepping stone" and explained he will be playing the majority of his golf on the PGA Tour this year.

However Harrington, who was named as the new European Ryder Cup captain at Wentworth on Tuesday afternoon, has quickly erased all doubts that the Northern Irishman will miss out on his sixth Ryder Cup match.

"I can only look at his actions," said Harrington.

"That man loves the Ryder Cup. He's become a leader in the team room. He gives so much to the Ryder Cup; the Ryder Cup gives so much back to Rory that he can't get anywhere else.

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"He gets the glory, the opportunity to be loved on the golf course. He gets the exuberance, the crowd. You don't get that day in, day out. You don't get that regularly. His actions are all about the Ryder Cup.

"He will be 100% behind and in that Ryder Cup team, there's no doubt about it. You just have to know the man behind the scenes."