Ireland Straffen – Rory McIlroy watches a keen audience of Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open victory and is ready to follow the lead of the tennis star at the Ryder Cup in the U.S. this month.
A hostile and partisan crowd will welcome the European team on Bethpage Black’s European team and European team from September 26-28 as the Americans hope to regain the Cup after Rome’s two-year loss.
Djokovic had to deal with similar circumstances in his U.S. Open quarterfinals against family favorite Taylor Fritz and handled it well, even blowing a kiss from a fan who had rooted him.
McIlroy loves what he saw from Djokovic, who spoke to European golfers in their team room before the 2023 Ryder Cup victory, speaking about handling high pressure moments.
“He has always been the best deal with it,” McIlroy said Wednesday at the Irish Open. “Whether it’s against the Americans in New York or against Roger (Federal) or Rafa (Nadal), he has to deal with it all his life.
“He talked to us in Rome last time. So maybe taking a leaf out of his book and directing the energy the right way. But all we can do is control our reactions and emotions. I think the less we are, the better we score goals, the better for us.”
Roma’s experience should come in handy with European team Bethpage – a two-year change was finalized on Monday, while Rasmus Hojgaard qualifies for the only rookie in the 12-man roster.
McIlroy used Robert Macintrye – a rookie from Rome and now a regular contender on the PGA Tour – to support his belief that “every player on the team is almost more accomplished than he did two years ago” and believes that Europe has won the “perfect opportunity” of the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2012.
“They have a very strong team,” McIlroy said of the Americans. “They will have a very noisy crowd around them and on the golf course, and many of them have known very much from previous games.
“So, no doubt, we know we’re fighting it, we know we have a tough task on our hands, but I love the team that Luke assembles.”
