ROME — Rory McIlroy dismissed it as youthful ignorance, too self-absorbed and certainly ignorant of history.
It was 2009 when McIlroy, a rising star having just turned 20, was asked at the Irish Open about one day playing on the Ryder Cup team. His answer was not well received.
“It’s not a huge goal of mine,” he said. “It’s an exhibition at the end of the day. In the big scheme of things it’s not that important of an event for me.”
Oops!
McIlroy was able to laugh at those comments Wednesday. He enters this week’s Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club as Europe’s most experienced player. This is his seventh Ryder Cup, one more than Justin Rose. Europe is 4-2 in Ryder Cups in which McIlroy has played.
“I took a bit of grief for those comments, and rightfully so,” he said. “I was just so focused on myself and trying to get my career off the ground that I felt like I had sort of bigger and better things to achieve for my individual goals … that I just didn’t put any emphasis on making a Ryder Cup team until you make one. And then you never want to be off one again.”
Ryder Cup: Tournament hub | Practice round photos
McIlroy’s comments became tabloid fodder on this side of the pond. Colin Montgomerie, for one, did not appreciate a player barely out of his teens dismissing the Ryder Cup.
“It’s not an exhibition and never will be,” he said. “It’s a very unique, special event and much nerve-wracking than a major. When you play in it you want to be there again and again.”
McIlroy was accepted by the European team in 2010 — one that included his captain this year, Luke Donald — and he felt better after his teammates pulled a prank.
“In one of the practice rounds, I still had the sort of long, curly hair at that point and a few of the guys on the team came down to the first tee with wigs on and like sort of made a joke of it,” he said. “Yeah, that meant a lot to me.”
Team Europe golfer Rory McIlroy addresses the media in a press conference during a practice day for the Ryder Cup golf competition at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports
Now, as an elder statesman and the most revered European golfer, McIlroy is a resource but does not consider himself above his younger teammates.
“I’m not there giving rallying cries and team speeches,” he said. “I’m older than people and I have more experience, and some of these guys have watched me play on TV but I don’t want anyone looking up to me in any way. I want them to see me like I’m on their level.
“There’s no hierarchy on our team. We are all one part of a 12-man team and we all go forward together. I guess that’s the one message I’ve tried to relay to some of the younger guys on the team.”