Rory McIlroy played a key role in Team Europe’s 2023 Ryder Cup win, with all of his emotions having been on full display in Rome.
McIlroy is currently preparing for an exhibition match in Las Vegas, where he will partner Scottie Scheffler and take on Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.
But the Northern Irishman is now in the spotlight for another team event in the form of the 2023 Ryder Cup.
It comes as behind-the-scenes footage of the European victory at Marco Simone Golf Club nears via the documentary ‘Una Famiglia’.
Four-time major champion McIlroy was in formidable form as the hosts came out on top, with his competitive nature particularly coming to the fore after the day two fourballs.
Rory McIlroy admits how he feels about Patrick Cantlay Ryder Cup incident
He had a very public fall-out with Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava in the car park, with McIlroy having discussed his thoughts on that incident in the documentary.
“As soon as I saw anyone with an American jersey, I went after them,” he said. “Not my proudest moment, but I felt like what happened on the 18th green and then spilled over to the car park almost made us feel we were ready more than ever to go out on the Sunday to all win our points and get the Ryder Cup back.”
Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm agree over ‘vulnerable’ moment that helped win Ryder Cup
McIlroy certainly lost his cool after Cantlay and Wyndham Clark secured a narrow win over the Northern Irishman and Matt Fitzpatrick, with LaCava’s celebrations on the 18th green sparking his anger.
But it did show exactly what the Ryder Cup means to the former world number one, who went on to beat Sam Burns in the Sunday singles.
And that helped Team Europe clinched a superb 16½ – 11½ win over Team USA, which was also secured thanks to a fireside chat among the home team.
“We had a great fireside chat where we opened up together as a team,” said captain Luke Donald. “It really created this amazing sense of togetherness.”
McIlroy concurred: “Playing the golf course and seeing Marco Simone was great, but the magic of that trip was what happened on either side of the golf. People became vulnerable and told their story, and I think that led others to open up in ways we’ve probably never opened up to each other.”
And his fellow Team Europe star Jon Rahm echoed that sentiment, with the Spaniard saying: “When you see great players, who’ve had the success they’ve had, be vulnerable with each other like that, I think it creates a bond and a sense of security that you can’t replicate.”
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