UWHO’SGBACK Pafter USA ROSTER
FROM BACK PAGE preparations before the big tee off at Le Golf National.
Bubba Watson revealed he’s been popping pills in a bid to shrug off the effects of the virus he and a number of team-mates picked up at last week’s Tour Championship.
The two-time Masters champion said: “It’s a long year, we’re all tired. You can tell in my voice I’m exhausted.
“It kind of started through the locker room last week. A lot of us were kind of getting sick.
“Gosh, I don’t want to say half the field had something – and then travelling all the way over here. We’re all battling something.
“There were a few guys – some who aren’t over here and guys who are – and I was one of those who happened to get it. I’ve got a weak immune system.
“If you’re like me, with a few meds in you right now trying to get healthy, it doesn’t help the captain.
“Because if I say I don’t have any energy, now that guy I’ve been practising with is like, ‘Well, who am I going to get paired with?’ So you’re hurting the captain or the team that way.”
An illness in the camp would help the cause of a European side tagged underdogs in the face of a team hailed the strongest USA side assembled.
The man at the heart of that is Tiger Woods, riding the crest of a tsunami of hype after his comeback win in Atlanta four days ago.
But Rory McIlroy insists he isn’t worried about the 14-time Major winner. He said: “To focus on one player is silly, especially when I might not even see him this week at any point because I might not be on the course with him or play against him.
“I don’t really want to speculate how Tiger’s going to play or what he’s going to do. It’s great for the US team he’s in the mix and it’s great it’s given their team a little bit of momentum coming over here.
“But this week he’s one of 12. We’re not looking at any individuals. We’re just trying to beat the US team. It’s great what he did on Sunday.
That McIlroy didn’t come close to pushing his playing partner in a pedestrian closing 74 at East Lake has caused concern for some European fans hoping for a psychological boost from the Northern Irishman.
But asked if he felt in any way intimidated by the sight of fit-again Woods back on the prowl in search of a first title in five years his reply made light of the significance that performance could have on the week ahead.
He said: “That East Lake rough was really tough. That was the most intimidating part about it. I started hitting a few drives left and right early – and I didn’t actually have quite a good view from the trees on Sunday.
“I couldn’t really see what was happening too much.”