In golf, the last big event of the year was the Ryder Cup, which took place between the Europeans and the Americans at Bethpage Black in New York. Team Europe had to hang on for a win thanks to a late American comeback. The event is unique and consistently attracts the best in the world, which is why Rory McIlroy wants to be a captain of the event in the future.
Rory McIlroy is playing in a golf tournament in India this week, his first return to competition since last month's Ryder Cup. He talked to the Associated Press about how he would love to be the captain of the event one day, but he said not until “the mid-2030s.” He still has a lot of golf to play, and the captain does not usually play in the Ryder Cup but instead handles the primary strategy for each team.
“Absolutely, I would love to be a captain one day, and I feel very fortunate that I've had a front-row seat playing under some of the best captains in history in the Ryder Cup,” McIlroy said, while also name-checking Paul McGinley and Luke Donald, who led Europe in their past two matches.
“But,” he added, “I'd say not until the mid-2030s, if I can keep playing well.”
During this past Ryder Cup, the American fans were rowdy and went hard at McIlroy, and he took the brunt of the abuse from the fans due to his being the most high-profile name on the European team. The abuse also resulted in an apology from the PGA of America, which was sent across the golf world.
He thinks it's a shame that happened because it took some of the shine away from Europe's win, especially since Europe became the first team to win an away Ryder Cup since 2012.
“Just over the last two weeks, being able to watch the highlights and just see, especially those first two days, in the foursomes and the four-balls, how good the European team were,” McIlroy said. “The Americans would hit it close; we hit it closer. The Americans hole a putt, and we hole aiton top [and] it happened every time.
“The unfortunate thing is people aren't remembering that; they remember the week for the wrong reason. I want to shift the narrative and focus on how good the European team was and how proud I was to be part of that team to win an away Ryder Cup.”
