Rory McIlroy is the number two golfer in the world and if it wasn’t for Scottie Scheffler, there’d be no argument as to who is the very best around.
McIlroy has won countless tournaments in recent years and that culminated in 2025 with his win at The Masters and then, his big part in the Ryder Cup win for Europe at Bethpage Black.
The Northern Irishman has very much become Europe’s talisman.
At Bethpage, he brought home 3.5 points for Luke Donald’s team and was only narrowly beaten by Scottie Scheffler in the singles.
For McIlroy, winning the Ryder Cup means everything and he deserves huge credit for the mental resilience he has shown since Europe’s devastating loss in 2021.
Why Rory McIlroy’s 2021 Ryder Cup comments help fuel a stunning comeback
To say the 2021 Ryder Cup was a miserable one for Team Europe would be an understatement.
A record 19-9 loss at Whistling Straits seemed to be the sign of a passing of the torch in some ways and it looked, at the time, like Europe might struggle for years.
Indeed, after only contributing a single point by beating Xander Schauffele in the singles, McIlroy was left a solemn figure as he spoke of his upset afterwards.
“I love being a part of this team, I love my team-mates so much, and I should have done more for them this week. I’m glad I put a point on the board for Europe today, but I just can’t wait to get another shot at this,” McIlroy said at the time.
“It is by far the best experience in golf, and I hope the boys and girls watching this today will aspire to play in this event, or the Solheim Cup, because there’s nothing better than being a part of a team, especially with the bond that we have in Europe.
“No matter what happens after this, I’m proud of every one of our players this week. I’m proud of our captain, our vice-captains, and I just wish I could have done a little more for the team. It’s been a tough week.”
Those words within the quote, ‘I cannot wait to get another shot at this’, are the ones that stick out enormously given what’s happened since.
Rory McIlroy proves he is Europe’s main man at the Ryder Cup
The last two Ryder Cups under Luke Donald have been nothing short of sensational for Team Europe.
But while Donald deserves praise, it is McIlroy who has stepped up to banish the demons of 2021 and prove that he was very much telling the truth when he spoke of wanting another crack at things.
2023 in Rome saw McIlroy win three of four in the opening sessions before he then went out and beat Sam Burns in the singles with ease. His haul of four points in Italy was a huge help as Europe won out 16.5 to 11.5.
That form, coupled with the 3.5 points he took at Bethpage have proved that Rory McIlroy is very much Mr Reliable for Team Europe now.
And after the disappointment and heartbreak of Whistling Straits, McIlroy deserves tremendous praise for how he’s reacted and then produced under such pressure.
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