Europe beats USA in Ryder Cup, Rory McIlroy lets 18th green disagreement ‘fuel fire’

Rory McIlroy was nonetheless working sizzling after his parking-lot outburst on the Ryder Cup on Saturday night time as he made his strategy to Marco Simone the next morning to assist Europe regain the golden trophy.

He’d already addressed the problem with European captain Luke Donald. He’d already spoken to his spouse, too. However McIlroy additionally determined to take inspiration from the writings of a Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, to get in the precise way of thinking.

When in Rome, and all that.

Effectively, the message obtained via.

McIlroy delivered greater than he ever has for Crew Europe, his 3-and-1 singles win over Sam Burns taking him to a competition-high 4 factors — probably the most he has ever compiled at a single Ryder Cup — and offering the momentum that pushed his teammates over the road for a 16 ½-11 ½ victory on Sunday.

He completed the earlier Ryder Cup in tears at Whistling Straits, annoyed that he’d let the European workforce down by solely claiming one level in its file loss to the People.

Two years later, McIlroy was pouring Champagne over teammate Shane Lowry’s head and main the soccer-style celebrations on the rostrum as Europe’s gamers took turns to hoist the 17-inch gold trophy excessive.

“I’ve fortunately been part of a number of profitable Ryder Cup groups and it feels wonderful. However on the identical time, being a part of a shedding Ryder Cup workforce sucks, it actually does.”

McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland — the blokes ranked numbers 2-4 on the earth — lived as much as their billing as Europe’s key gamers in Rome, accumulating a mixed 10 ½ factors.

However this felt like McIlroy’s Ryder Cup.

It was his seventh look for Europe, making him probably the most skilled participant on the workforce, and he was determined to supply a legacy-defining efficiency after what transpired in Whistling Straits and since, in his phrases, he has “reached the again 9 of my Ryder Cup profession”.

Effectively, he fashioned a brand new European dream workforce with Tommy Fleetwood — they’re calling it “Fleetwood Mac” — to say back-to-back foursomes wins and mixed with Matt Fitzpatrick in fourballs for one of many greatest victories of the week, 5 and three over Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele on Friday afternoon.

If it wasn’t for Patrick Cantlay’s heroics on the ultimate three holes within the fading gentle late Saturday, McIlroy would have change into solely the second Crew Europe participant — after Francesco Molinari in 2018 — to go 5-0 in a single version of the Ryder Cup.

Perhaps that was partly the rationale why he misplaced his mood so dangerous on the 18th inexperienced and later outdoors the clubhouse as he fired off indignant phrases within the route of Cantlay’s caddie, Joe LaCava, who McIlroy perceived to have acted disrespectfully by waving his hat in his line of sight forward of a probably match-tying putt.

“Strolling off the 18th inexperienced yesterday, I used to be in all probability the angriest I’ve ever been in my profession,” McIlroy mentioned.

“I mentioned to the US guys I believed it was disgraceful what went on. I made that clear. I wanted to calm myself down as a result of I may have let it carry me down the improper path.

“I believe I let it gas the hearth in the present day,” he added.

“It centered me and I used to be in a position to go on the market and get my level.”