Rory McIlroy’s stance on winning an away Ryder Cup hasn’t changed since he defiantly whacked the winning press conference table in Rome and he insists that being part of a victorious European team at Bethpage Black would rank up there with the highlights of his career.
That would be some feat considering he won the Masters to complete the career grand slam in April. Augusta National also seems to be the site of a simmering rivalry with Bryson DeChambeau and although that fire has been stoked this week, McIlroy is focusing on adding another crown to his CV with a first away Ryder Cup win since 2012.
“I still want to play well for myself and I’m still proudest of my individual moments, but my most memorable moments have been in the Ryder Cup,” said McIlroy who could move above Jose Maria Olazabal and Seve Ballesteros in the European scorers list this week.
“Winning another away Ryder Cup would be one of the biggest achievements of my career.
“I promised Luke [European captain Luke Donald] I would only talk about the European team today and I’m going to stick to it!
“It’s so easy this week to get swept into narratives, but all I want to do is put blue points on the board.”
The Ryder Cup is golf’s best event but it follows the longest week in sport where media and players alike try to drum up storylines and amplify the pre-tournament hype to the point where it becomes pure guff!
But aside from the pay to play storyline on the American team, anticipation is rife as to whether McIlroy and DeChambeau will lock horns this weekend either as part of a pair or in a potentially blockbuster singles match.
McIlroy doesn’t care who he is pitted against as long as he can put as many blue points on the board.
“If that comes against Bryson then great. I think that’s wonderful for the championship and wonderful for us as well in some ways.”
Only McIlroy, Rose and captain Luke Donald were part of the Miracle at Medinah in 2012 and that week in Chicago seems even more extraordinary given what has gone on before and particularly since with both USA and Europe receiving drubbings on their travels in the contest.
Europe are looking to win away for only the fifth time and McIlroy believes having eleven of the twelve players that contested in Rome two years ago leaves the continent in a position of strength ahead of Friday. That continuity could be important if Thursday’s practice is washed out.
“The one thing I’ve talked about a lot is that I love the continuity of this team. We’ve won before. I feel like it has been a really cohesive group over the last three years so we all know what to expect and we all know our roles. We can give it a really good go this week.
“We are playing for history, we’re playing for the players that came before us and the people that basically laid the foundations for what the European Ryder Cup Team is.
“But we are also playing for the guys behind us – the young boys that are dreaming of becoming European Ryder Cup players.
“We want to try to leave a legacy for them as well. We have a wonderful opportunity this week but we understand it’s going to be very difficult.”
From foolishly calling the Ryder Cup an exhibition before he had made an appearance, McIlroy is Europe’s talisman, leader and most important player if not the most likely to get embroiled in some handbags in a car park!
Since Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Martin Kaymer, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood all left the Ryder Cup canvas, McIlroy has stepped into his own and he is Europe’s most experienced player ahead of his eighth appearance.
“It’s cool to have a long career and to span those generations.
“Even at breakfast, talking to José Maria [Olazabal] about Celtic Manor in 2010 and lying around the locker room for two days because we couldn’t get out on the golf course because it was so wet.
“Just little things like that that you can still share and you can reminisce a little bit, which is cool.
“I’ve been so fortunate to have a long career and to play in a lot of these things.”
There’s no doubt that McIlroy is in Team USA’s heads. His chant to the tune of Zombie by the Cranberries lit up Rome. He is more likely to be greeted by New York boos on the first tee on Friday this time around but he knows the scattering of Europeans will make themselves known too.
“As a boy I dreamt of playing at Old Trafford and having those songs sung about me – I just didn’t realise they would be on the golf course!
“At least we’re going to have some European support this week, which is going to be nice. Those songs are very creative. We won’t hear them as much this week but it is still amazing.”
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