NEWCASTLE, Northern Ireland, May 26 (Reuters) - Triple major champion Padraig Harrington has backed the European Tour's decision to start the qualifying process for next year's Ryder Cup in Russia.
Earlier on Tuesday, officials announced the ground-breaking move to start the year-long points bid at the Russian Open in Moscow in September.
"It's a good thing not only for the European Tour but golf in general," Harrington told Reuters in an interview ahead of this week's Irish Open.
"The tour needs to move east big time and I mean not only east as in terms of already being out in Asia but we need to embrace eastern Europe more.