Ryder Cup diary: Neil McLeman reports from Rome with three days to go
There are times at a Ryder Cup when it feels more like a Florida-gated community derby than a clash of continents. Hear Sepp Straka’s Deep South drawl or listen to Luke Donald’s American wife chatting with Jon Rahm’s American wife and the tribes merge into one.
For Rory McIlroy, married to a New York stater, with a US-born daughter and family home on Jupiter Island, this is true too on the surface level. Cut him in half though and he bleeds Europe. The Ryder Cup allows McIlroy to feel the pull of his Northern Irish roots.
This is about birthright and a sense of belonging. Two weeks ago McIlroy and his team-mates flew to Marco Simone to check out the Ryder Cup venue. Practice done, they sat around a firepit and talked late into the balmy Roman night.
“During the course of the year, I’m just as close with a lot of the American guys as I am with the Europeans just because of the places I play and where I live and who I practice with but these last few weeks have been really nice to reconnect with some of those guys,” said McIlroy.
“We were just sharing stories and describing our journeys in golf and what the Ryder Cup means to us. Just getting to know one another a little better, even people that I had known for a long time, getting to know them a little better, too. It was wonderful.
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“I love being a part of this team. My most enjoyable moments in my career have come being a part of European Ryder Cup teams. I’m still probably proudest of the things I’ve done as an individual but nothing – nothing – beats this week. It’s an amazing experience and I want to be a part of it for as long as I can.”
That disparaging ‘exhibition’ comment he made about the Ryder Cup 14 years ago is well and truly ancient history. He is about to set out on his seventh Ryder Cup mission. With the LIV contingent gone, he is the most experienced member of the team and at No 2 in the world, Europe’s highest-ranked player.
McIlroy will be pivotal to Europe’s chances and a leader on the course undoubtedly but as a team-mate he does not want to be up a pedestal. He added: “When we came on the practice trip I said to every guy: ‘I’m older than people and I have more experience and some of you guys have watched me play on TV but I don’t want anyone looking up to me.’
“I want them to see me like I’m on their level. There’s no hierarchy on our team. We are all one part of a 12-man team and we all go forward together. I guess that’s the one message I’ve tried to relay to some of the younger guys on the team.”
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Last time out, it all ended in tears for McIlroy as he wept in frustration on the Sunday having finally picked up his first win of the week with a singles victory over Xander Schauffele. It was too little too late for McIlroy and Europe as they crashed to a record defeat.
Back then he was searching for his A-game; now, with 12 top 10 finishes, including two wins in his 20 tournaments this year, he has it on speed dial.
“I certainly feel a lot better about things coming into this Ryder Cup and feel like I’m more than capable of contributing more than one point this time around,” he said. “I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the team and to have those other 11 guys be my team-mates.”
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