2025 Ryder Cup
Venue:Bethpage Black, New YorkDates:26-28 September
Coverage:Live text commentary on My Newspaper Sport website
Masters champion Rory McIlroy says he “loves” the team selected by European captain Luke Donald for this month’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
The world number two from Northern Ireland will again spearhead the European challenge with captain Donald naming themost settled teamin Ryder Cup history.
Rasmus Hojgaard – who has replaced his twin brother Nicolai having qualified through the ranking system – is the only change to the team that beat the United States two years ago.
McIlroy, 36, has completed the career Grand Slam since that victory in Rome, while Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood both won FedEx Cup play-off events last month and Robert McIntyre was second in another.
“You could make an argument that all 12 guys are more accomplished than they were two years ago, so I’m excited,” McIlroy told My Newspaper Sport NI’s Stephen Watson.
“Continuity is an underestimated quality in a team, especially when it comes to a Ryder Cup when there’s so many variables and changes. Love the 12 guys that have been assembled, and I think we’re ready to go.
“We know it’s going to be very difficult, there’s a reason every Ryder Cup for the past 10 years has been won by the home team, but we have a great opportunity.”
McIlroy was a part of the European team that most recently won a Ryder Cup away from home at Medinah in 2012.
In what will be his eighth time at the event, he is expecting a “raucous” home crowd but believes “taking a leaf” from tennis star Novak Djokovic’s book could be helpful for his team-mates at Bethpage Black afterthe Serbian beat home favourite Taylor Fritzin the US Open quarter-finals.
“I watched a little bit of Novak Djokovic [Tuesday] night playing in his match against Taylor Fritz,” said McIlroy of the 24-time major champion’s latest Grand Slam charge.
“It was a very pro-American crowd and he’s been the best at handling that. He’s had to deal with it his whole life, whether it’s playing against an American in New York or playing against Roger [Federer] or Rafa [Nadal].
“He came and spoke to us a little bit about that stuff last time in Rome so [it’s about] maybe taking a leaf out of his book and channelling that energy the right way.”
McIlroy is in the field at the Irish Open this week with the DP World Tour event at the K Club his penultimate tournament before the Ryder Cup.
He will also play the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth next week and believes dealing with the pressure of the “business end of things on a Sunday” would be a good test of his game, even if winning before his return to the United States is not “absolutely necessary”.
“I would love to add another W to the win column this year but I don’t think it’s a necessity,” he added.
“These are two big leaps to make sure the game is sharp and I think the only way to tell if you are as sharp as you want to be is getting yourself in contention, under pressure, at the sort of business end of things on a Sunday.
“So I think it’s important to do that, it’s important to give myself a couple of chances to win, but ultimately winning would be lovely but I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to go into the Ryder Cup.”
