RYDER CUP EURIN FORIT
Trash talk has Rory all fired up to leave USAina state
THE phoney w ar is almost over and come Friday the real Ryder Cup battle w ill commence. In the unrelenting build up to this clash of the transatlantic titans here at Hazeltine, there have been plenty of w ords spoken but Rory McIlroy know s that talk can be cheap w hen it comes dow n to the crunch.
US skipper Davis Love III (pictured) upped the ante on the psychological front earlier in the w eek w hen he suggested that the Americans had “the best golf team maybe ever assembled”.
And veteran TV commentator Johnny Miller added fuel to the flames by declaring that Team Europe, on paper at least, “w as the w orst team they’ve had in years.”
The talking w ill stop on Friday w hen the opening sessions get underw ay but as the visitors aim for four Ryder Cup w ins in a row for the first time ever, in-form McIlroy admits the w ords coming out of the American camp have only added to the feeling of determination in the European squad.
The Northern Irishman, w ho fired another w arning shot by w i nning the Tour Championship in Atlanta last Sunday, said: “I don’t think it’s hard for us to find motivation because anyw here you look, w hether it be the sea of red you see on the golf course or the comments made in the media by the US team or the captain, then that gives us so much motivation.
“I mean, w henever you are going up against one of the greatest teams ever assembled, that’s enough to get you going. So you say, how good a victory w ould this be if w e go out and beat these guys on their home soil? Our team is good and it’s more than ready to handle the occasion and handle w hat w e need to do.”
McIlroy, the w orld No 3 , w ill be making his fourth Ryder Cup appearance since his debut at Celtic Manor in 2010 and has never been on a losing side P RIOR to becoming a Ryder Cup player, McIlroy had dow nplayed the w hole event by suggesting that it w as nothing more than an exhibition match. Since then, of course, the four-time Major w inner has changed his tune. He now feels he is a leader for Team Europe, both on and off the course, and the unique pressure and intensity that the event stokes up is something that he continues to savour.
He added: “I think I did underestimate w hat it w as going to be like. The comments I made before seem very stupid now .
“I had no idea. I had played i.nthe Junior Ryder Cup, I w as at the Ryder Cups of 2004 and 2006 and I thought I knew w hat it w ould be like.
“But there’s nothing like w alking on to that first tee for the first time and feeling the rush and soaking up the atmosphere.
“That’s w hat I’ve tried to reiterate to the rookies on the team.
“You think you know w hat it’s like and you think you’ve played under pressure but you haven’t. I’m just trying to make them ready for that and make sure they are comfortable w ith w here they are.
“Once you get over that first hurdle, that hump of the first tee and everything that goes on w ith that, then you’re dow n to business and you’re just try
ing to do w hat you do eve- ry day of your life, w hich is to play good golf.”
For McIlroy, this w eek’s contest has added significance as he plays under his fellow Northern Irishman, Darren Clarke. McIlroy w as just 10 w hen he first met the current European skipper and the memories remain seared on the mind.
He said: “My actual 10th birthday present w as to go and play at Royal Portrush. I w as chipping around the green and Darren w as there. I w as just in aw e of him.
“He w as doing the same thing, just chipping around the green, and he just said to me: “practice, practice, practice.” That’s alw ays been his motto. And that day has alw ays stuck w ith me and, even this w eek, those memories come rushing back.”
Team Europe don’t need to look far for inspiration or motivation this w eek. As Sergio Garcia said on the confident spoutings from the USA: “you don’t w in Ryder Cups w ith your mouths.”