Paul McGinley calls for Presidents Cup to become mixed event

Former European Ryder Cup captain and player Paul McGinley wants the Presidents Cup to become a mixed event, combining the men's and women's games.

Speaking on Golf Channel, McGinley strongly believes that the matches between America and the International side would benefit from this change and it would represent "growing the game."

The International team, led by Trevor Immleman at Quail Hollow this week, is set for another uphill task to beat the Americans, not helped by the absence of Louis Oosthuizen, Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann who have joined LIV Golf.

Since the event's inception in 1994, the International side only has one victory to look back on in 1998. There was the famous tie in 2003, but it has been dominated by the US.

Despite captain Davis Love III also missing key players who have left for LIV Golf such as Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau, the US team still contains four majors champions and two current major title holders (Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas).

Turning the Presidents Cup into a mixed event has long been a suggestion which is yet to materialise. But figures such as McGinley see this as a chance to level the playing field and enhance the one-sided occasion. 

What do you think of @mcginleygolf’s idea? pic.twitter.com/RZT1DpJlL5

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) September 20, 2022

"I know it's a radical change. Men and women, six of each on each team. I just think with the strength and quality you have in the ladies' game now, on the international side, I think that would really equate the teams," McGinley said.

"I think that would be a lot of fun. Look at the rankings, you only need to go down as far as number eight in the world to fill the six ladies that would join the six international players.

"I think when we talk about growing the game, we talk about all of the ideas that would come with it. I saw Geoff Shackleford wrote about it this morning too.

"A couple of people out there think that it is a good idea. I've been saying this for a year or two and I think the Presidents Cup is a perfect opportunity for it."

Jin Young Ko (S.Korea), Minjee Lee (Aus), Lydia Ko (N. Zealand), Brooke Henderson (Can), Atthaya Thitikul (Tha) and Hyo-Joo Kim (S. Korea) all occupy places in the top eight of the women's Rolex Rankings.

Of the last 19 women's major championships, 15 of them have been won by players from the rest of the world category. In 2019, all five major trophies were won by international representatives.

The international side of the women's game is extremely strong and McGinley is one of many people asking to integrate this into the Presidents Cup.