McIlroy’s warning to Europe’s rookies

Rory McIlroy has warned Europe’s Ryder Cup rookies to be prepared for a feeling like no other at Hazeltine.

The Northern Irishman will be one of the veterans of the European Ryder Cup team after Darren Clarke named somewhat of an inexperienced squad.

McIlroy made his Ryder Cup debut at Celtic Manor in 2010 and has admitted he felt uncomfortable in a very tough environment.

The 27-year-old feels that the pressure can be compared to being in contention on the final day of a major and even more so as they travel away to America.

McIlroy said: “I was really uncomfortable in 2010, I was just uncomfortable in 2012 and I was somewhat uncomfortable in 2014.

“It’s a tournament where you get feelings you’ve never had before.

“Even someone like Danny Willett on our team, who has won the Masters, and I’m going to say, ‘Danny, that final round was great, but you were playing with Lee Westwood who is a buddy of yours, you weren’t really in contention until the last sort of five or six holes, first round or first match in the Ryder Cup is going to be playing a final round of a Major for all 18 holes’.

“That’s what it’s like, so the rookies are going to experience things that they have probably never experienced before on a golf course. It’s just to make them aware of that and sort of try to help them embrace that in some way.”

Tagged Europe, Rory McIlroy, Ryder Cup