Oh to be able to hack into the 2023 Team Europe Ryder Cup WhatsApp group. It’s still active and Rory McIlroy feels Luke Donald may not need to create a new one with the bulk of the winning side in Rome expected to line out next month in Bethpage Black.
McIlroy, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Robert McIntyre are all confirmed for New York at the end of September with Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Jon Rahm, Ludvig Åberg, Viktor Hovland and Matthew Fitzpatrick all expected to be part of the team as should Rasmus Hojgaard as the only change instead of his twin brother Nicolai.
It will arguably be Europe’s strongest side since they last tasted victory on away soil at Medinah in 2012 and McIlroy feels the continuity in selection will be a huge asset.
“Yeah, it’s been good,” McIlroy said of the pre-Ryder Cup chatter from the Europeans. “Luke is over in Europe right now, and he’s at the Belfry and he’s with a few of the guys there that maybe have a chance to get those last couple of spots on the team. I’d say he’s focused more on that side of things right now.
“There’s a lot of us here that he doesn’t really need to focus on or speak to right now, myself, Rosey, Bob, Tommy, Viktor, the guys that are pretty much on the team.
“But the dialogue has been good. It’s nice that it looks like the team is going to be pretty much the same. We have this group chat from Rome that’s still going two years on.
“But it’s been good. Everyone is in good spirits, and obviously everyone is excited for what’s to come in a few weeks at Bethpage.”
The last time Europe visited the US Pádraig Harrington’s charges were on the receiving end of a record breaking defeat. Europe seemed destined to face an avalanche of US dominance when Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia moved to LIV Golf as did the next captain Henrik Stenson.
Seemingly in turmoil and needing a period of transition, Luke Donald stepped up in Rome and superbly guided the continent to victory in Rome. He proved the hero Europe needed and such was his success he has been retained for next month’s contest in Bethpage Black, another positive for McIlroy.
“Just continuity. Most of us know what his communication style is. Most of us know what he’s looking for in us,” said the Masters champion.
“Luke and I live on the same street in Florida; we see each other all the time, so we talk about it a lot. I know what he wants from me, and I try to do that as best as I can.
“But I think just that continuity piece, and we all know what we’re going to get whenever we turn up at Bethpage, which I think is reassuring for a lot of the players.”
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