On Friday at East Lake, Rory McIlroy gave his thoughts on Ryder Cup captains with the event on the horizon.
McIlroy On Ryder Cup Captains – “They Don’t Hit Any Shots, That’s What I Always Say”
Over the last 20 years, Europe has dominated the Ryder Cup, claiming the trophy seven times in nine events.
During that period, we’ve seen many different captains, with Rory McIlroy potentially joining that list as his career begins to wind down.
However, on the Friday of the Tour Championship, McIlroy admitted that he’s “played under some pretty average captains, and played under some really good captains and we have won both times.
McIlroy with captain Paul McGinley at the 2014 Ryder Cup. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
“I’m not trying to play down the role of the captain, but I don’t think it’s as important as everyone thinks it is. The players are the ones on the golf course hitting the shots and holing the putts.”
McIlroy has been involved with five Ryder Cups (winning four), and is set to make his sixth appearance at Whistling Straits in September.
After being asked how involved European captain, Padraig Harrington, had been the last few months, the 32-year-old responded, saying: “I would say a little more of a distanced captain than the last few [captains].
“I feel like Thomas [Bjorn] basically took a year and a half out from his career to really focus on the captaincy. Padraig is still pretty competitive, he’s got a PGA Tour card, he plays over here. He, more than the last few captains, has had to try to balance that.”
McIlroy with Harrington during the 2018 Ryder Cup. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Having played under the likes of Colin Montgomerie, José María Olazábal and Darren Clarke, McIlroy will be playing under Harrington’s captaincy in 2021.
Team USA will be the slight favourites coming into the event, with the Americans looking to capture the trophy they lost at Le Golf National in 2018.
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