The 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome gets underway next week and the bulletin board material is already starting to surface.
During an appearance on Golf Channel’s “Golf Today,” United States team member Wyndham Clark was asked about potentially taking on Rory McIlroy in Sunday singles. It’s safe to say he wouldn’t shy away from it.
“That’s exactly who I want. I’d love to play Rory. I mean, I have the utmost respect for Rory. I mean, he’s one of our great ambassadors of our game, he’s obviously one of the best of all time and his career is still going. I have tons of respect for Rory. Because of that respect, I also want to beat him. I like to think I am better than him, and I want to prove that.
“I think it would be a little bit of David and Goliath, and I’m hoping I get that chance.”
“I have tons of respect for Rory. Because of that respect I also want to beat him.” – U.S. Open champion @Wyndham_Clark on the prospect of facing @McIlroyRory in singles at the @rydercup. pic.twitter.com/PvTWIjzkDF
— Golf Today (@GCGolfToday) September 20, 2023
U.S. fans should love hearing that.
Clark beat McIlroy by one shot to earn his first major championship at the U.S. Open earlier this year at Los Angeles Country Club. Since his win in LA, Clark has just one top-10 finish in six PGA Tour starts (3rd, Tour Championship).
While Clark is making his Ryder Cup debut, McIlroy will be representing Europe for the seventh time. He enters the week in Rome with an overall record of 12-12-4, with a 3-2-1 record in Sunday singles. He beat Xander Schauffele in 2021 at Whistling Straits, the lone bright spot for the Northern Irishman in Wisconsin.