Rory McIlroy was vital to Europe’s ass kicking. The 45th Ryder Cup Thursday morning practice’s at Bethpage Black. For his part, he gave a riveting masterclass in Supremacy with poise and dexterity. In the process, he subdued a monstrous New York crowd that had heckled him relentlessly during the match.
Pairing up against English and Morikawa for the second straight day, McIlroy was again joined by Tommy Fleetwood to help lead Team Europe to another convincing victory. As it turned out, their partnership was unstoppable, and they scored a dominant 3&2 victory. This victory only increased Europe’s command to 8½-3½ against the U.S..
Their face-off started out contentious, with McIlroy being consistently heckled by the crowd as he stood over the ball. With the gallery as a potential distraction, both he and Fleetwood came out swinging, winning five holes between them on the front nine. This deep bench contributed to a strong start that set the tone for their eventual victory.
What drove McIlroy to the boiling point was the relentless heckling he received from fans. In one of the most vulnerable moments, he lashed out at the heckling in a rage, punctuating with an English profanity as the stakes raised during critical shots.
Immediately after the match was over, McIlroy spoke to the difficulties of having to compete in an environment like that. He stated:
“I don’t mind them having a go but when you’re trying to hit a shot that’s tough.”
Jon Rahm, another member of the European squad, recognized the turning of the tide in their favor matches. He noted that after a rough patch, the team rallied together, emphasizing the importance of remaining focused amidst the challenges.
“It wasn’t looking too bright for us – they had just squared the match – but it was an incredible, incredible moment. But there’s still so much golf ahead that I didn’t let myself get too high.” – Jon Rahm
Europe is cementing its dominance in this otherwise wildly celebratory tournament. Players like McIlroy are indispensable on and off the field for elite performance and team morale. The competition is by no means lost either, and with their current head of steam behind them, Europe looks likely to finish on top.
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