McIlroy hopes Tour victory can act as spur

Europe’s top golfer Rory McIlroy hopes he can bring some momentum to the team’s bid to win an unprecedented fourth successive Ryder Cup after his Tour Championship victory.

The world No 3 triumphed in a threeman play-off – which included the United States’ last wildcard pick Ryan Moore – at East Lake in Atlanta to win the PGA Tour’s season-ending event.

He also pipped the in-form Dustin Johnson, expected to be one of America’s big guns at Hazeltine Golf Club later this week, to the £8.8m FedEx Cup prize.

He has now won twice in three weeks on the PGA Tour to come into form at just the right time to aid the European cause.

“I’ve had a lot of text messages go through but Paul McGinley, the previous captain, texted me and said ‘This is sort of the first of hopefully a lot of momentum for Europe during the next few days’,” said the 27-year-old.

“Hopefully, in some way, it helps the team sort of galvanize and we can all get off on the right foot.

“I’m just looking forward to meeting up with the guys. I think they’ll get into the hotel around 4pm (local time) and I’ll already be up there,” he continued..

“I’ll be probably nursing a bit of a sore head. I’m looking forward to the day off (on Monday) but am really excited to catch up with the guys and get into that team mode and the team spirit and turn my attention to something else.

“I think when I get myself in situations like this, over the last couple of years anyway, I seem to produce my best golf when I need it.”

“I’ve obviously never gone into a Ryder Cup with this much excitement coming off the back of something like this.”

The European team were due to assemble at Hazeltine yesterday afternoon with more than half the team making the trans-Atlantic crossing.

One of those on the flight to the US was Ryder Cup veteran Lee Westwood, embarking on his 10th consecutive appearance in the contest requiring just two points to equal Sir Nick Faldo’s record haul of 25 points.

“We are all going over there to be a unit, stand shoulder to shoulder, as Darren keeps saying, and win the Ryder Cup,” said Westwood, whose first captain was the late Seve Ballesteros.

“Hopefully, in some way, it helps the team sort of galvanize and we can all get off on the right foot. RORY MCILROY