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Ryder Cup: Final day’s pairings

The pairings for the final day of the 43rd Ryder Cup have been set. Team Europe needs to overcome a big deficit to defend the Cup in Whistling Straits, Wisconsin (USA). Team USA leads 11 to 5 and needs only 3.5 more points out of the final singles matches to win the Ryder Cup. Each player will face one from the other team on Sunday afternoon, starting at 5 p.m. BST.

The pairings for Sunday’s Singles

MatchTeam EuropeTee TimeTeam USA
#17Rory McIlroy17:04Xander Schauffele
#18Shane Lowry17:15Patrick Cantlay
#19Jon Rahm17:26Scottie Scheffler
#20Sergio Garcia17:37Bryson DeChambeau
#21Viktor Hovland17:48Collin Morikawa
#22Paul Casey17:59Dustin Johnson
#23Bernd Wiesberger18:10Brooks Koepka
#24Ian Poulter18:21Tony Finau
#25Tyrrell Hatton18:32Justin Thomas
#26Lee Westwood18:43Harris English
#27Tommy Fleetwood18:54Jordan Spieth
#28Matt Fitzpatrick19:05Daniel Berger
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Jordan Spieth makes possible what seemed to be an impossible shot at the Ryder Cup 2020 and the crowd goes crazy.

Jordan Spieth does not lose any chance to show his magic, and the Ryder Cup 2020 could not be different.
Golf never stops surprising the audience and Jordan Spieth clearly lives it up to that. The golfer from the USA Team breaks once again with the stereotype of golf being a boring sport made for the eldest. Spieth made possible the impossible shot during the Morning Friday Foursomes, where he had the ball at rest on the left side of the green on hole 17. His partner, Justin Thomas and him needed to win hole 17 and 18 to win half of a point, as they were 2-down teeing off the 18th. Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia had their ball for birdie and Justin had just missed the green, it was the turn for Jordan to give it all.
Simply incredible.
However, it is not as you may imagine, the ball was down the hill, and Spieth had to hit it as high as a kite to get it on the green. The feeling of getting that ball over what it seems to be a wall of grass had the entire crowd screaming happiness and excitement. Raising hands, screaming from the top of their lungs, smiling from side to side of the cheeks, waving flags all around… It was not only about the Ryder Cup 2020, the USA Team, or the fans of Jordan Spieth, but the entire golf enthusiasts felt the same joy in that moment.

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Jon Rahm: The pressure is on for the world’s number 1 golfer

JOHN DEVER: Welcome to the 43rd Ryder Cup here at Whistling Straits. We are with world No. 1 Jon Rahm.

Jon, welcome to your second career Ryder Cup. Frequently through these interviews, we hear about the reverence the European side has for Seve and Jos� Maria and such, but beyond your countrymen, are there any players that you watched in The Ryder Cup beyond the two that you locked into and were captured by their spirit and their fervor for The Ryder Cup?

JON RAHM: I think one that is often, or often can be overlooked, is Monty. Monty had a really good run in The Ryder Cup, especially in singles, right. Somebody who had a great career, who maybe was not the most vocal player out there like maybe Seve was but got things done. He was a tough guy to beat. I think Monty was one of those that can be overlooked.

Q. Only your second Ryder Cup but you’re already expected to be one of the leaders, certainly, on the course, aren’t you. Are you ready to make that step up?

JON RAHM: What kind of a player would I say if I say no? Right. So yes, yes, I’m ready for that. It’s a challenge I look forward to. Obviously it’s a lot of players in our team that have a lot of experience and know how to get it done. I’m ready to add my name into that group.

Q. Did you have a feeling there was going to be extra responsibility, obviously given your position in the rankings?

JON RAHM: Yes and no. We have plenty of players in the team that are vocal enough that have done this enough that naturally will gravitate towards for guidance. I’m not going to actively go and just make myself, hey, I’m a leader now, because I don’t have that massive of an ego.

In that case, hopefully like I’ve done so far this year, I’ll let the clubs and the ball do the talking and I’ll leave the speeches and the leadership to the guys that have been doing this for a long time.

Q. Can you describe what you believe Poults means to this team and what he’s done over the years in this competition for you guys.

JON RAHM: I think Poults is one of those players that you might get once in a generation, right, that embody the spirit of The Ryder Cup. You have somebody who World Ranking-wise, from 40, 50, you wouldn’t say World Ranking or stats-wise is anything massively special.

But when he steps through the doors and you get to The Ryder Cup, it is Ian Poulter and he’s got a pretty good record and he’s a tough guy to beat. It’s match play and it’s something special. That’s the beauty of this team and that’s the beauty of this event and that’s the beautiful part of something and somebody like Ian Poulter that really becomes somebody this week.

Q. Can you put yourself on the other side as an opponent and when he gets on those rolls that he’s gotten on with the eyes and the fist pumps?

JON RAHM: Yeah, when he gets possessed.

Q. Exactly. How rattling or maybe under the skin can that be for an opponent do you think?

JON RAHM: I wouldn’t want to play Ian, especially in that mode like we saw at Medinah. Because you have somebody who is a very good putter, who will make the putt at the right time. Even though as I said, might not look like anything special, he’s not going to make any mistakes and he’s going to hold onto that match and just be there and be relentless and that is the worst type of opponent. He’s a tough man to beat.

You know, he’s a great guy — it’s one of the guys in other sports that you may hate him if he’s not on your team but you love him if he’s on yours.

Q. I know there’s still The Ryder Cup, but when you look at the season you just completed, there was a lot going on. How do you sum that up or how do you reflect about that?

JON RAHM: You know, it’s not the first time I answered this question. It just dawned on me that it’s only been 5 1/2 months since my son was born, and there’s been so many things that happened since then. It almost feels like it’s been a couple years worth of experiences in those five months.

Besides the setbacks I’ve already talked about extensively, the good moments, the great experiences, the happiness vastly outweighs the setbacks, and that’s all I can say about this year. I became a dad. We’re in a really good place family-wise. I’m very happy at home. It’s been amazing. Got my first major and played really good golf all year round.

I have nothing to complain. It’s been amazing. No matter what happened COVID-wise or what events I missed or what could have been, it still has been an amazing year that I really am thankful for. I think that’s the most important thing. I think it’s very easy in life to focus on what could have been and what you didn’t have. But it’s good to just realize all the good things that happened and forget about those moments.

Is it all about winning?

Q. Does that give you some perspective coming into an event like this that a lot of people view as, you know, the biggest thing, ultra important, super important, obviously you want to win?

JON RAHM: We do want to win but it’s a team effort, right. It’s not like I can do it by myself — unless you’re Poulter; he can do it by himself.

It would be a really nice end to the year, right, even though we have already started the new season technically. It would be a very nice end to what has been a wonderful year. That win in France, you create a bond that’s unforgettable and it would be a really good feeling to be able to do it in my first try in my case on U.S. soil, as well.

It’s something we always want to add to the calendar and always want to add to the repertoire and winning a Ryder Cup, especially in an away country.

Q. From what you’ve seen so far, what are the biggest differences in temperament and captaining style between Thomas and P�draig?

JON RAHM: I don’t know if my vice captain will let me disclose too much. I will say that I didn’t know either of them before The Ryder Cup. I had only been a pro for a couple of years before Paris, so I didn’t see Thomas that much or P�draig.

The only thing I’m going to say, P�draig is a lot more calm than Thomas was. Am I right on that? A little bit, yeah, okay. I feel like that’s a better question for a vice captain because they see in here a lot more reality where the captain needs to be calm, cool and composed for all the players, he can’t be going off on all of us.

We might not see the whole truth, but obviously they have both been very well-spoken and very well expressive in what they have in mind and what they expect from us. They have made it very easy and made it comfortable for all of us. They have done a good job of letting us know what we have to do and in my case letting me know what they expect me to do and that’s been wonderful.

Q. I know you can’t came names obviously but how early were you given the information of who you were going to play with?

JON RAHM: What do you mean? Tomorrow?

Q. Yeah, who you’ll play with tomorrow.

JON RAHM: I still don’t know. You tell me. I think you guys think we know a lot more than you guys know. I have an idea of what players I might be playing with. Didn’t you guys see us throwing balls on the tee yesterday? Well, there you go. That’s how we do things, leave it up to chance.

Q. Can you talk about the transition going from golf as an individual sport to golf as a team sport, what the transition is like for you?

JON RAHM: Honestly it’s great. It’s something that for some reason for all of us becomes quite easy. I think because we have so much of individual golf where for the most part you only care about yourself. A lot of the decisions in life and even at home I’ve made due to golf and what we need to do to be better players. When you get here, it’s not just about yourself or your family. It’s about all 12 of us and to be fair a lot of the decisions are made for us; it’s a lot easier.

But it is really cool to see all these great players, people that have been doing this for a very long time. I mean, when Lee played The Ryder Cup for the first time, I wasn’t even three years old yet. To see all these great people that have accomplished so many things come together with a smile that only a team even like The Ryder Cup can bring to you, a juvenile excitement that you don’t usually expect a 48-year-old to have, it’s very unique and it’s something that I wish everybody could see because I feel like a lot of times we’re missing that in life, and a week like this can definitely give you that youth back in that sense mentally, right.

Even though I’m still 26, I’m very young. Still takes me back to when I was a kid hoping to be playing in The Ryder Cup when I was a kid representing Spain and how I felt back then, obviously magnified times a hundred in this situation. But it’s something that’s very, very fun and it what makes The Ryder Cup so special amongst other things, right. We are all one and we are all the same and we have the same level of excitement and the smiles that we see around and the happiness and the joy is something I wish everybody could see.

Under pressure..

Q. You’re world No. 1 and U.S. champion. Do you take any confidence from that or does that put pressure on you? And have you ever actually met Monty?

JON RAHM: I have met Monty, I can’t say when, but I have met him, quickly in passing. I remember not meeting him, but I remember watching him finish the last two holes in Valderrama, I think it was 2009, the Volvo Masters, amongst many other players, Paul Casey and Stenson signed my shirt. There was a picture that came around a couple years ago. I remember watching him then.

If anything, being a Major Champion this year in a tough setup, gives me confidence. At the same time, it’s match play. It’s different. Tomorrow morning, foursomes, right, or fourballs, so you’re playing with a partner, not an individual anymore. It is a little bit of a different game but at the same time you’ve got to do — try your best, right, and in that sense it’s the same thing. If anything, just gives me confidence in that sense that I know what I’m capable of.

Q. It’s a pretty demanding golf course obviously and the cold and wind can wear down on anybody. How do you prepare your body and mind for the possibility of going all five this week?

JON RAHM: I’m physically ready for it. I know I don’t look like it but I train every day when I’m at home, believe it or not. I’m in really good shape. I have no problem walking 36. I feel like the biggest challenge in an event like this is possibly five rounds of the mental aspect of it, and that’s where I think you need to learn to really unwind quickly and get ready when you need to.

And I mean on the golf course, as well, you can’t be 100 percent focused and locked in for five hours. That is mentally driving range. You have to learn how to switch off a little bit and have fun with your partner and then caddies and be ready to hit the shot in there. It’s a bit of things. Also when you get to the team room after the round, practice round, whatever it is, everybody is having such a good time that that in itself is a great rest.

In my case, the most important things outside of all that would be hydrating properly and getting enough sleep. Those two things are going to be the keys this week, as well. Throughout the week, make sure you’re sleeping enough and letting your body recover and hydrate to make sure your recovery is even better.

Q. When did this competition really begin to matter to you? And the video that came out out of context from Team Europe, is that an accurate depiction of how you celebrated in 2018?

JON RAHM: No, but that’s what they want me to do this year if that were to happen. I mean, it’s not what I did, I can tell you the environment is not too far from that, okay. Now, nobody was on tables, shirt off; I certainly wasn’t. But the environment is somewhat similar. Some people were going just as hard that night celebrating, which I don’t blame them. It’s a stressful long year.

Like I said earlier, when you are in an environment with no judgment, you’re not scared of anybody posting on Instagram, you can let yourself go a little bit and be vulnerable, and that’s the fun part of things like that.

Q. And when did this event…

JON RAHM: I don’t know exactly the age but it’s been on my radar a long time. When you’re born in Spain, the Ryder Cup is something special. There’s a lot of legacy in this event between Seve and Ollie and the players got the most amount of Ryder Cup points for Team Europe in history.

It’s a lot to live up to, I’m not going to lie. It’s a lot of expectation when you’re a Spaniard. But that just means — a lot of times we’re called a different word for passionate, but I think that’s when all these great emotions can be used in match play and that’s why in general people have done great.

And so for a long time I’ve been looking forward to being a Ryder Cup player and it still is something you have in mind every day, especially while you’re approaching. Obviously we have a lot of individual events going on, but when the topic comes up, it is something, you can’t explain it but it’s very unique.

Interview transcript from Asap Sports

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Ryder Cup: Friday Foursomes

The pairings for the first day of the 43rd Ryder Cup have been set. The most anticipated golf event is finally here. Contenders and fans alike are especially anxious after waiting due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its delays. Friday is formatted as alternate-shot foursomes and the pairings are quite surprising, specifically on the American side. The U.S. team will begin the session with its pairings of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth on Friday morning. They will play against the European matchings of Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia.

The first match is important, but the first day as a whole is what matters. The U.S. is sending out strong leaders against Europe’s all time Ryder Cup point earner, Jon Rahm. Not to mention, he is also ranked number one on the World Golf Ranking. It is intriguing to see how these pairings will set off the 43rd Ryder Cup weekend.

The pairings for Friday’s Foursome

Match   Team Europe Teetime Team USA  
#1   Sergio Garcia 14:05 Jordan Spieth  
  Jon Rahm Justin Thomas  
#2   Paul Casey 14:21 Dustin Johnson  
  Viktor Hovland Collin Morikawa  
#3   Lee Westwood 14:37 Daniel Berger  
  Matt Fitzpatrick Brooks Koepka  
#4   Rory McIlroy 14:53 Patrick Cantlay  
  Ian Poulter Xander Schauffele  

Up first:

Check out our live scoring and get all updates on the Ryder Cup on Golfpost.com

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Steve Stricker: Confident in his team and his pairings.

JOHN DEVER: Welcome back to the 43rd Ryder Cup here at Whistling Straits where we are joined by U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker.

Captain, we have pairings and we have matchups, too. Let’s speak just in generalities for your four pairings. How do you feel about it? You must feel pretty good, and we’re on the cusp of getting this thing going.

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, to your last part there, how excited we are and everybody is to get this thing going finally. It’s been three years and you come in here on Sunday evening, and you know, the practice rounds are great but yet you have Friday in the back of your mind and you are just looking forward to getting out there and getting it going.

Yeah, I feel great about our pairings. You know, some teams that have played together over the years, whether in Ryder Cups or some Presidents Cups, so we wouldn’t put them out there if we didn’t feel good about them, let me just put it that way. So we are extremely excited about how these guys are playing, and the order of which they are going out.

Q. A few of us did some predictions for fun and almost everybody got the four pairs that the U.S. was putting out. They have been playing together and they have played together in the past, and Europe seems unpredictable and very surprising. You probably were not giving a lot of thought to them beforehand but looking at it now, what do you think about their pairings and did you anticipate any of this?

STEVE STRICKER: You know, I didn’t, and I didn’t even try to anticipate. You know, they are all great players. We were trying to take care of ourselves. You know, I’m paying attention to my team.

We talked occasionally about maybe who they are going to put out, but it doesn’t matter, really. They are all such great players. They are all highly ranked players and we know that we are going to have to play our best to beat them.

So we have an idea that Rory and Rahm would probably go 1 and 4, and that’s pretty much all we knew, or really thought about. We didn’t know who their guys were going to be that they were going to be paired with, but we kind of had that figured out for the most part.

So we tried to act accordingly, as well. But yeah, other than that, we didn’t take the time to try to figure it out.

Q. You put Daniel and Brooks together when you were captain at Liberty, right?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah.

Q. What did you see in them and what do they bring out in each other?

STEVE STRICKER: They play golf at home together and they enjoy being with one another. Daniel is a wonderful foursomes player. He controls his ball really nicely. Good short game. Great putter. He’s a natural fit for the foursomes.

They like playing together, bottom line, and they do well together. They are excited to go out tomorrow and try to get a point.

Everyone needs a rest time too

Q. When you were naming your six captain’s picks, you mentioned how length was important, and yet the longest guy on your team is sitting in the morning. Can you explain why?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, we are trying to make sure that everybody gets a little bit of rest, too. That’s in the back of our mind, and yeah, we can’t play everybody every session, right. Four people have to sit, but he’s going to get his turn at some point.

The real good thing is that all these guys have bought in. They know the plan for the most part. We have communicated that to them and we are up front with them, and they understand it and are willing to do anything for the betterment of the team.

Q. In your particular case, will all of your guys play today and tomorrow?

STEVE STRICKER: You’ll have to wait and see, Alex.

Q. One last thing. Did anything happen this week —

STEVE STRICKER: Is that a Cubs hat on?

Q. Yes, it is.

STEVE STRICKER: I didn’t know if it was a Chicago Bears hat.

Q. You almost got fileted.

STEVE STRICKER: That didn’t turn out so good. I tried to explain myself as we kept going there. I still root for the Packers. Let me get that straight.

Q. Did anything happen this week influence what you have on paper today?

STEVE STRICKER: Anything that happened this week influence what these matchups are?

Q. Yeah.

STEVE STRICKER: No.

Q. I assume you have a plan for the afternoon. Is there anything that could change it, or aside from an illness or injury, but the way somebody plays or anything, do you have set pairings for the afternoon? I know you won’t tell us, but will you stick with it?

STEVE STRICKER: No, we are going to stick with the afternoon plan. Its was put in front of them on Monday and we stuck with it and we are going to stick with it.

No disappointment going in

Q. Was there any disappointment from anybody about not playing early or because you set it so early they got on board?

STEVE STRICKER: Not at all. Again, these guys have been incredible. I can’t stress it enough, really. Again, it’s about the communication we have had, the captains and myself, and being up front with them and just letting them know what we’re thinking so there’s no curveballs.

We have heard it multiple times from all the players, if you want to play me once or all five, that’s up to you, meaning the captains, just so we can try to win this Cup.

Q. I see Phil out there during the practice rounds, he’s talking and talking and talking to you, can you give us some sense of what he’s actually talking about?

STEVE STRICKER: To me? Oh, we’ve talked a lot about a lot of different things. We’ve talked about players, picks, or pairings, I should say. We’ve talked about golf swings. I enjoy talking with Phil, and we’re lucky to have him to be a part of this team.

You know, it was unknown for a while whether he was going to be a part of this team as a player or (vice) captain, and I had reached out to him quite a long time ago about being a part of this team, actually last year, and then we keep touching base and then he wins the PGA Championship. So we talk again. It’s been an ongoing process with Phil but I knew I wanted him here. He’s great for the team and he’s great in the room.

Yeah, so he talks all the time. He talks, you know, about — and we have talked about a lot of different things. So it’s wonderful to have him around.

Q. Is Bryson sort of his — does he mind Bryson in a way?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, they get along great. Phil finds Bryson very interesting and he’s trying to learn things from Bryson I think, too. I think Bryson feels like he’s trying to help Phil in some ways, too. So they have this rapport with one another, and they enjoy being with one another.

Yeah, so I see those two guys being in each other’s pocket for the rest of the week.

Q. At the outset you mentioned it’s a three-year run-up to plan for the week. Now that you’re ready to hit balls on Friday, has that worked the way you had hoped, when you see the guys get together and the way they are loose, the things they have said, up to now, do you feel like the goal has been accomplished in your mind?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, very much so. Obviously the most important part is coming up, right. The playing, them trying to win a point, just trying to put them in a position to play great golf. So far, I think we’ve done that.

The guys are playing great. Like I said, they are all on board.

Q. How important was continuity when making those pairings, in either improving pairings from previous Ryder Cups or Presidents Cups, or partnerships with similar or same golf balls they use?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, all that is taken into effect. Xander and Patrick have had success in foursomes in The Presidents Cup, so we thought it was a natural fit for them to do foursomes here tomorrow morning.

Yeah, we look at the golf balls. Sometimes it’s just very difficult. We had some guys trying other guys’ balls and it’s a challenge at times. That determines sometimes the pairings and what you can do going forward.

So it is, it’s a big puzzle trying to get all the pieces put together and you rely on feedback from the players. You rely on feedback from the captains, and.

Yeah, it’s a challenge but one that we’re excited to be a part of.

Is Stricker worried about the weather?

Q. How do you think now — look, we had some rain earlier obviously, but how do you think the course will play? Are the greens as firm as you would like them?

STEVE STRICKER: I don’t know, the rules are that we get it into the condition all the way up to the Sunday before, and then that condition is kind of maintained throughout. So that’s the goal is that that condition will be kind of maintained, and it has been.

You know, we can’t — we don’t have any say on what Mother Nature does and provides as far as rain goes or wind, and today they were getting a little bit, not really that firm, but just faster with all that wind and borderline almost too fast for that kind of wind.

But the good news is, the wind looks like it’s going to lay down a little bit. Still breezy but not as much as the last couple days, but the course is in great shape. The guys think it’s a good setup, and everyone I’ve heard from both sides have enjoyed it so far.

Q. You’ve been here before in Presidents Cups, and you’re at the point where you’ve had total control and now you have to relinquish it and basically sit back and watch. What does that feel like and how does it change your own nerves?

STEVE STRICKER: I’m going to enjoy it. To this point, it’s been a lot of work, and there’s still more work to be done for sure. We still have to watch some golf. We still have to gain some more information, the way I’ve been talking to the assistant captains. You know, you want to look forward to Saturday and you want to try to get a plan, and we do have somewhat of a plan, but it’s more about watching these guys play now, getting some feedback from them and the caddies and the assistants and then making the plan for Saturday.

But yeah, it’s in their hands now. They are playing great and they are excited to get going. I mean, I can’t tell you how excited they are to get going and get that first tee ball in the air tomorrow.

Q. It was the captain’s call, right, to start with either format, and I’m curious why you chose foursomes? Was it the fast start at Hazeltine?

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, stats have shown over the years that that’s a better format for us. Yeah, so we wanted to kind of stay with that plan and that’s what we’re doing.

JOHN DEVER: Four rookies going out for you tomorrow, Ryder Cup rookies, what’s that night’s sleep going out into Friday morning? You were in those shoes in 2008.

STEVE STRICKER: Yeah, it’s a week where you don’t get a lot of sleep. You try to make sure you do that. I’ve tried to give that to the guys and I’ll do that same thing tonight. We’ll have a quick dinner and tell them to get to bed. It’s a big day tomorrow, but it is, it occupies your mind and it’s tough to get some sleep.

It’s an exciting time. We’re all excited. I’m sure you guys are all excited as well. We are definitely looking forward to it.

Q. Pat Hurst at the Solheim Cup said she wouldn’t play anybody five; she thought it was too much. Do you feel the same way?

STEVE STRICKER: We kind of do at times, and that could morph into something different when we start watching these guys, and if you need to lean on some players more than others.

Yeah, we are trying, that’s our focus is to make sure that guys get rest. It’s a big golf course and when you have conditions like we’ve had the last couple days, it can kind of really beat you up.

Yeah, we are conscious of that, and trying to look at that going forward, as well. It’s definitely on our plate to try to make sure that guys are getting their rest.

JOHN DEVER: Captain, you’ve made it to Ryder Cup Friday almost. Enjoy your evening.

Interview transcript from Asap Sports

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Ian Poulter: “You know it’s coming. It’s been building all week”

THE MODERATOR: Good morning, and welcome back to the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. Ian, welcome to what is now your seventh career Ryder Cup. Let’s assume for a moment that it’s wonderful to win a Ryder Cup no matter where you are, but perhaps you could — Rory alluded to this yesterday. What’s the difference between winning a road Ryder Cup as opposed to winning one for you back in Europe?

IAN POULTER: I guess it’s a lot more difficult, and it doesn’t happen that often, even though we’ve had the upper hand of that. I guess it’s just more enjoyable.

Course setup is obviously this week heavily weighed in the U.S. as opposed to how we set things up back in Europe, so I guess everything is stacked against us. When you have that, when you can go in as underdogs, when you can turn the tide and actually come out victorious, it means a little bit more.

Q. When you’re captain in 2025 will you be having press conferences at 7:30?

IAN POULTER: Nope. (Laughter.)

Q. Would you describe winning on the road akin to Arsenal to winning away at Chelsea, Man United?

IAN POULTER: Anywhere at the minute.

Q. Well, you won two in a row.

IAN POULTER: Yeah, 100 percent.

Q. Is it enjoyable, that kind of feeling if you win on the road?

IAN POULTER: It’s a great buzz. You only have to look around and all the grandstands are red. Everything that you look at, the fans, 98 percent are obviously going to be U.S. fans this week. It’s difficult from start to finish. It’s hard. It’s not easy to play away from home.

As much as we feel comfortable as a team, to know we’re underdogs, to know that, we have to play extra special this week to get the job done. It feels pretty rewarding at the end of the week if we can get it done.

Q. Have you seen any European fans dotted around the course so far this week?

IAN POULTER: I can’t say — there’s only been a few, but the U.S. fans have been brilliant to far. They really have. They’re wishing me well. Not too well, but they’re wishing me well, which is quite nice. That hasn’t always been the case, but so far so good.

Q. Everyone talks about that first tee, the most nerve-racking place, but I’m curious, in the path to the first tee, where do the nerves set in? Once you’re on the tee? When you’re walking to the tee? When you’re warming up? When do the nerves actually hit?

IAN POULTER: When the alarm goes in the morning. You know it’s coming. It’s been building all week. It’s exciting. You know, it’s a big tee box. I don’t know how many thousand fans we got round there this week. It’s probably a little less than it was in Paris, but nevertheless it’s a loud environment. It’s a nervy atmosphere to be in.

Seriously, it’s great fun. It really is, from the moment you kind of walk out your tunnel to getting that tee peg and attempting to put the ball on the tee, it’s a pretty fun ride.

Remembering Medinah

Q. You mentioned the difficulty. Rory was saying if you win again this week, it would probably top Medinah. Could you ever imagine anything topping Medinah, and how often do you still draw from those memories?

IAN POULTER: Yeah, I mean, we’ll see how the week pans out to see if or how kind of you want to place the event. I think for us to know it’s going to be — it’s going to be difficult. We don’t have the full home support that we would normally have.

I’m hoping we have some form of sing songs out there for us lot to entertain everyone, but yeah, it’s always hard to turn around and say one is going to trump another one and however the makeup of that is going to be. I just think if we can come out on top Sunday night, it will be a pretty special one.

Q. Do you still draw on those memories? Do you think back to it very often?

IAN POULTER: Always. I’m always looking on the highlight reel. It’s pretty hard when you’re pretty social media busy and there’s often highlights of all the good things you’ve kind of done through the years, and obviously Medinah is one of those.

It’s good to get those positive vibes, a bit of confidence, and enjoy watching the celebrations that we had and the kind of golf that we played on Saturday and Sunday.

Q. Following on from that, Rory also said that last time it was in America, he sort of lost control a bit of his emotions and sort of had to warm the last day. Is that something you’re conscious of or is it the opposite with you, you want to let your emotions get out there in terms of the crowd and stuff?

IAN POULTER: I think you just have to let it happen naturally. I don’t think it’s something you can plan for how you react on the golf course. I think you’ve seen through the years players that you see no emotion, all of a sudden start to show emotion.

I don’t think that’s something that you’ll sit at home and go, Right, if I hole the putt on the first I’m going to fist pump this. I think it happens naturally. I think we all have a lot of pressure, a lot of buildup, a lot of intensity during the start of this week, and I mean, it just naturally flows out.

Naturally we don’t fist pump on the first green of a regular week, right, but you have the opportunity to kind of let some of that energy out this week, and that’s why I think we see so much of it done, and it makes for great TV.

Q. I’m just curious how important you think driving distance is going to be this week. It’s something that the Americans have talked a lot about being a big advantage in their favor. I’m curious your thoughts.

IAN POULTER: We’ll see. I don’t really know. I’m not a guy that sits down and tries to work out if Bryson is going to be 120 yards in front and how that looks on paper, right.

Yeah, I mean, generally through the team they’re going to hit it further than we are. The wind is going to change on us on Friday, so certain holes that we’ve already played are going to play a little bit different.

There’s a blend between long irons and short irons dependent on that wind direction. We’ve got some short par-4s that if the given wind allows, then some of those are going to be reachable.

What we have got around these greens is rough and bunkers that are pretty deep. The rough, the lies you get around the greens, you can’t predict it. You can miss a green by three feet and have an unplayable lie. You can miss the green by five yards and you have a kind of nice lie.

I think that is kind of the unknown at the minute, and if you’re going to start to leak a few here and there, it’s going to be difficult.

Strategy is going to be really interesting this week of how that plays out.

Q. Do you get any sense at all whether your passion and success in these matches annoy the people you’re beating?

IAN POULTER: I’m sure I’ve annoyed plenty. I mean, my percentage has been really nice, for me, and not for the guys I’ve played against, so I’m sure that’s been pretty frustrating to be on the receiving end of that.

Q. Feel good?

IAN POULTER: It feels nice. I enjoy holing putts and winning matches. It’s been a great ride. I’m never going to apologize for it. It’s how match play should be played.

Q. There’s been a lot of anecdotes over the years about how sometimes the sting of losing can hurt more than the joy of winning. Do you agree with that, and do you have any strong memories of ’08, which I think is your only losing team you’ve been on?

IAN POULTER: Yeah, that was miserable. Even though I think I picked up four points that week, it meant nothing. To have a personal kind of individual week, which this is not individual at all, it means nothing. You’d rather — to go 4-0 and lose is pretty depressing. You’d rather go 0-4 and win.

If that played itself out this week, I’d still be pretty happy on Sunday night if I was to play it out that way.

Q. ’08 was the only one you lost, but in 2012 you had the experience of falling behind before the Sunday. What feels different from a team perspective when you’re out there and you just keep falling behind and the Americans are winning? How is it a different vibe, and is it kind of a helpless feeling in any way?

IAN POULTER: I wouldn’t say it’s a helpless feeling because you always have to believe that you have the ability to turn the match around. Momentum has been key in every Ryder Cup I’ve ever played. It’s all about holding that level of momentum for the longest period you possibly can, and that’s hard to play against sometimes when you can see somebody has got that kind of run of form and the color stays the way it does for a long period of time. You have to kind of break that.

There’s only been a few instances where it’s been that way and you’ve wanted to break it, so you always have to tell yourself that it can happen, it’s going to happen, and you’ve got to make it happen sometimes.

Why does Poulter give all he has for the Ryder Cup?

Q. Kind of a core question for you: You put on some of your best shows, play some of your best golf at the Ryder Cup. Why?

IAN POULTER: I hate losing. You see the guy, you know — when you play match play, you know what you have to do when you tee up on the first hole. You can control a match. You can dictate a match. You can play certain shots to try and put your opponent under pressure.

You can’t do that in stroke play really unless it comes down to the back nine and the group you’re in you’re actually clear of the rest of the field.

It’s just a fun game of chess, to be honest, to enjoy what that means, that you’re under pressure right from the get-go. It just doesn’t happen in stroke play. It’s kind of like you plod your way into the tournament, but it’s back nine Sunday mentality every single time you tee it up.

Q. Sort of a similar question. Sergio yesterday was talking about sort of having the ability to flip a switch regardless of what form you’re in coming into the week. You clearly have that same ability. The ability to sort of convert that energy or whatever the good feeling is you have around this event into actually executing shots; how does that process happen for you?

IAN POULTER: I’ve never really sat down to try and evaluate how that happens and why that happens. It’s just a very simple form of golf. You never play what-if game. You don’t ever look at options around the green to say, here’s the right place to miss, here’s the wrong place to miss. It’s single-minded focus on your target. It’s really simplified.

The more simple it is, the easier it is for my brain to understand and aggressively go at those targets.

Again, stroke play you’re plodding into position. This isn’t the case here. You can’t expect a par to win a hole. You have to expect to try and birdie every single hole to have a chance of winning or even halving the hole.

It’s a nice way to play golf to be aggressive to targets.

THE MODERATOR: Ian, thank you so much for finding us and your time. Have a great day.

Interview transcript from Asap Sports

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The Ryder Cup in a parallel reality.

The sport competitions tend to bring people together and to make the audience feel as if they were at the field or the stadium, although they are not. The same way, magic happens and The Ryder Cup brings two sides of the world together joined by the same passion for golf. It is a matter of story-telling together with the emotions of the videos and pictures that allow you to feel through the screen.

Funny but real, this short video shows that words can be just words, and there is nothing like connecting them to images and giving life to them. The power behind every comment grows through images as they become real and meaningful. The Ryder Cup goes beyond the game of golf, it is about seeing the tear rolling down the number one golfer in the world because he just made his last putt to give a win to his team, captain, country, or even continent. To be able to see the tear of joy in the face of thousands of fans, and to hear the voice of the broadcaster breaking while speaking by the contagion of the emotion of the game, that is what the Ryder Cup is about.

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Bernd Wiesberger: “I’m forever going to be 164, and it’s going to be amazing.”

THE RYDER CUP

September 22, 2021

Bernd Wiesberger

Whistling Straits
Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Good morning. Welcome to the 43rd Ryder Cup here at Whistling Straits. We are joined by Bernd Wiesberger. Welcome to your first career — the first Ryder Cup of your career. Curious when it became apparent, and I guess I’m not familiar with the European notification system, but when you were assured of being on the team, who was the person that you reached out to that you were most excited to share that news with? Who was that person you wanted to connect with emotionally about making this team?

BERND WIESBERGER: Yeah, in my case it was — probably given that the three captains picks came after me, I was probably the last to qualify for the European team, so deep into Sunday afternoon at the PGA Championship at Wentworth.

So it was quite nerve-racking, but very glad I’m here right now. Given that I’m playing my first Ryder Cup, it’s been obviously a big goal of mine to be part of a European team, and as you can imagine, we’ve got all — a lot of people who have worked with us or supported us through different stages of our career.

But obviously it’s very personal and very emotional when you get to qualify for those teams, so family was the immediate call-up once I got the thumbs up after the Sunday round at Wentworth to be part of the team.

Q. On the picks that Padraig did, Poulter went out of his way to mention you as one of his best friends. I’m curious how that relationship came to you and what you think of him.

BERND WIESBERGER: With Ian? Yeah, I mean, I think the whole European team knows each other very well. We’ve played a lot of golf with — all the guys have played a lot of golf with Ian. I’ve played for Europe together with Ian on the EurAsia Cup a couple of years back. I think everyone in this team room has a longstanding connection with each other, and everybody gets along really well with each other in the team room. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere.

I feel like Ian and myself are very similar in character and we have good banter and good fun on and off the golf course. Yeah, you can imagine it’s always quite entertaining when you’re standing on the golf course with Ian, regardless if it’s the Ryder Cup or whenever.

Q. Do your eyes ever really like bug out when you make a putt?

BERND WIESBERGER: I sure hope you see a lot of eyes popping this week from all the European members. But his intensity is unique, especially during this week. I hope we’re going to see lots of it, as well, this week, and I’m sure I’ll try my best, as well, to channel my inner Ian Poulter and get some of that going this week, as well.

Q. I think you’ve been an emotional like two and a half, three years. You were in, then out, then in, then out. Do you think that put pressure on your game or was it better for your game?

BERND WIESBERGER: You know, last Ryder Cup in Paris I was part of German speaking TV and tried to give my sense as to what’s going to be the outcome, so I was on this side of the press conference and trying to make sense of what’s going to happen this week.

Along this week something kind of fueled inside me and took it as motivation to be — once my injury was healed that I had in 2018 — to be part of one of these teams. I never really vocalized it or spoke about it too much, but it was definitely massive motivation for me to be the first to experience a Ryder Cup firsthand, first one I’ve been to, even more so giving myself a chance to be part of a European team.

Those days in Paris definitely started that. Everything that was along on that journey were steps in the ladder, and I’ve had some really good success since, and I’m very proud to have played my way on to the European team that way.

Q. I know this is a team and you represent Europe, but representing your country, are you getting that response already from your countrymen? What kind of messages or feedback are you getting?

BERND WIESBERGER: No, everybody is super excited in Austria. We have some great talent in Austrian golf. I think it was a little overdue for having an Austrian representing Europe in the Ryder Cup. I’m very proud that it’s me.

I’m absolutely certain that I won’t be the last Austrian to represent Europe at the Ryder Cup.

As you can imagine, everybody is really excited and looking forward to the week, as am I, to get going on Friday and put the Austrian flag on the European Ryder Cup team banner just as much as Viktor is for Norway and maybe even write a little piece of golfing history for Austria.

Everybody is really excited. I’ve got a lot of messages, and hopefully — well, I’m sure there will be tremendous support from home, as well, during the whole week.

Q. I guess you received No. 164 of the 164. When you saw that, what resonated with you, and what does that mean exactly?

BERND WIESBERGER: I think it’s a brilliant idea what the guys have done. I’m very, very proud to have that number for life. Everybody is buzzing. The individual aspect of the game that we have, but this week we all come together as 12, yet everybody has their number and nobody can ever take it from them.

I was very, very surprised that it’s been this few, actually. I could have not told you if you would have asked me how many players would have represented the European team in the history of the Ryder Cup.

I’m forever going to be 164, and it’s going to be amazing. The guys really loved it, and it brings a great theme, I think, to the whole week for us.

Q. With all the emotions going on and media and everything else, how much does this affect your personal routine you usually do before a tournament?

BERND WIESBERGER: You know, I think we all came here knowing that it’s a different type of week. As individuals I think we all normally have our own kind of schedule and preparation time that we have for the events, but this week is totally different.

We’re all — we all have a little bit of an agenda, everyone, in the schedule. In my case because I’m a rookie I have not experienced it before. I got a lot of input from former captains and the senior players who have been here many times and kind of manage expectations and manage my schedule and manage our schedule so everybody is rested up and well prepared for when push comes to shove on Friday.

Q. What do you think — you were an outsider, now you’re an insider — brings all these guys kind of from different countries together to be such an effective team at the Ryder Cup over the years?

BERND WIESBERGER: I mean, it’s tough to put it down on one thing. I kind of always stood where you were and thought, What is it that makes this European team in a way always getting from the underdog position to a victorious team, especially over the last couple of years at the Ryder Cups.

Being part of the team room, being part of the bigger picture of what is Team Europe this week as opposed to the last couple of years, it really bonds us really well together.

Obviously all the guys are unbelievable golfers, but the way everybody comes together, everybody loosens up for the week, has fun, enjoys their time, goes out there, does their work and get prepared as good as we can, but then just detach and have the best time possible is really great to be a part of and experience that.

I’m sure that also just feeds into the performance or the victorious side of things for a European team.

Q. What was the best tip you got from one of the past captains or veteran players?

BERND WIESBERGER: That was very, very unique was to absolutely enjoy the week, to — there’s going to be a lot of distractions. As I said, stuff that’s going on around it. But just go out there, enjoy, have fun. That’s what I’m trying to do here, as well, this week, and soak it all in. Just let it all out there on the golf course.

Q. You’ve played tournaments over here in the U.S.; I think of the 12 you’re probably the one who’s played the least and hasn’t had a PGA TOUR card per se. Is that something you plan to pursue at some point?

BERND WIESBERGER: You know, what happens happens. I’ve played enough golf over here in the States, major tournaments, WGCs and regular PGA TOUR events where I’m probably the only guy who would call himself purely European based from a playing standpoint.

But again, I think I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of playing globally and getting the chance to play over here in the States.

Yeah, so whatever happens happens in the future. We’ll see. But as for now, I’m really enjoying my time on the European Tour and competing on the European Tour. I’ve also cherished the events that are happening for me over here in the States.

Q. Particularly in Paris, the way it’s developed with the stands down the first, it’s almost like a football stadium atmosphere, football stadium singing, chanting. Is that something that you think you’ll relish? Is that something you have an idea of how other sportsmen feel in team events?

BERND WIESBERGER: Yeah, we never get stuff like this happening, obviously. There’s just people who love this player, this player, but never do you have like — you’re either blue or red.

I think that’s what makes the Ryder Cup the Ryder Cup. First one that I experienced was Paris, and I did it non-playing-wise, but still, if you’re a golfer and you get on that tee, regardless if you’re playing that day, the experience there for the guys must have been unbelievable, and it will be the same this week.

Especially Paris, like it really became a big, big amphitheater. We have it this week again. Really bring the maximum out of the crowds for both teams. Really looking forward to stepping on a packed first tee there.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for finding us today. Have a great day and enjoy your stay here in Wisconsin.

Transcript by ASAP Sports

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Viktor Hovland: “If they boo against us, that means that we are doing something good. I’m prepared for some yells here and there.”

THE RYDER CUP

September 21, 2021

Viktor Hovland

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to the 43rd Ryder Cup here at Whistling Straits. We are very pleased to be joined by Viktor Hovland. Welcome to your first Ryder Cup. As a first-time Ryder Cupper, how comfortable is it to be in a team room with so much vast experience, not only in golf but especially in this competition?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, obviously it’s a very big stage and you know kind of what it means to people. That’s why I think it’s extra comforting when you get into a team room and you have not only veteran players, but also vice captains and captains.

I feel like just the whole support team and the players and everyone around it just have so much experience that they’re having fun, but at the same time they’re very at ease. I think that kind of rubs on not only me but also the rookies, and just makes everyone feel a lot better.

Q. How do you see your role in the team room specifically this week? Is it watch and listen, or are you actively trying to contribute something in particular there?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: That’s a good question. I haven’t really thought much about that. This is my first Ryder Cup, and I’m only 24 years old, and kind of — what I’m trying to do this week is just play as well as I can and try to be myself. I’m not trying to be anyone else. Just try to get to know the people on the team well.

I think we’re already off to a good start. We’ve only been here for 24 hours and our chemistry is good, so I just try to learn as much as I can from the guys that have been here five, six, seven times. They have so much experience, and I’m just trying to be around it.

Q. Do you have any childhood memories of watching this event on TV and thinking, Yeah, I want to be a part of that, that’s cool, that kind of —

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, the first Ryder Cup that I actually sat down and watched to the end essentially was at Medinah. I wasn’t too young, but I remember a lot of those final putts coming down the stretch very vividly, and I was sitting there watching with my dad, and I remember just going nuts.

There’s a lot of really good memories from then, and every single Ryder Cup after that I’ve been paying close attention. As well as just playing college golf in the United States, being a part of a team and playing for something bigger than yourself, I don’t think it gets any better than that.

Q. Was it an eye-opening moment for you when you first linked up with the team, something that took you completely by surprise?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Not really. I’d say kind of when we just created the group text that we have together, that was just one of the first things that made everything kind of sink in. Wow, we’re playing the Ryder Cup next week. I just remember just really looking forward to meeting up with the guys here and just spending a lot of time together. It’s not what we do but just being together and just talking about nothing and anything, I think that’s really, really cool.

I’m being around players that I’ve watched compete in the Ryder Cup since I was very, very young, and it’s an honor to be a part and on the team.

Q. You said that it is a bit of an eye-opener for you at 24. Can you imagine what it was like for Sergio at 19? And then at the other end of the scale you’ve got Lee Westwood at twice your age.

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, it’s crazy. They bring so much history into this event. You know, those guys are — a couple of the guys are the reason why this tournament is what it is, because they’ve brought so much passion and blood, sweat, and tears into this event that it makes it so much more special to be on the team and even the same team as them.

Yeah, when you put it into perspective like that, it’s really cool.

Q. You’ll be listed as a rookie this year but you have some nice success in match play. What do you like about the format? And secondly, if you were to pair with Rory this week, do you feel you’d mesh pretty well with him?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: I’d think so. I think we’ve got a lot of the same strengths and kind of personality-wise we think a lot alike. I’ve grown up in Europe. We play tons of match play and we play tons of foursomes in miscellaneous events. I have some experience doing that, and I very much like it. I like to compete with someone and be on a team.

For me when you get a person that you mesh well with, it’s a lot of fun. Obviously playing in the NCAAs in college and U.S. Amateur, I’ve got some experience playing match play, and I’d say some of my best golf has been played in that format.

It’s all about getting comfortable. You get a couple putts going and you get momentum, nothing is much more fun than doing that in match play.

Q. I know you can’t name names, but I’m curious, do you feel like right now you know who you’re going to play with and maybe when you’re going to play on Friday, or is that still something that you feel like is to be determined?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: It’s still to be determined. As we all do, we say who we want to play with, and then we just kind of use these days to figure out, Okay, is this a good fit or not, do we work together, and then we kind of go from there.

Other than that, I don’t really know.

Q. I just wonder if you could expand on your level of respect for the veteran guys, the particular guys, Lee, Sergio and Poults, in terms of what these guys have done over the years in this competition, and you being in your first, thinking about Lee in his 11th.

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, it’s crazy. I probably don’t have enough respect as I should have. You know, you look at their records, how many events they’ve won, not just in Europe, not just in the United States, worldwide they’ve won so many events.

Obviously time and time again when they show up to this week they deliver every single time. I sat a couple weeks ago and just watched highlights of Poults and Sergio and Westy on YouTube in the Ryder Cup, and it was just so cool to see all the clutch moments they’ve had and just kind of how they handled everything, because it’s a big pressure. Just to see how they go about their business and handle all that.

I think that’s also why it’s cool to be behind the scenes with them when there’s no cameras and they’re not playing golf to see why they’ve been able to do all those things.

Q. Seems like the European Ryder Cup competitors, whether they’re rookies or veterans, they seem to have this in their blood from an early age. What’s your earliest recollection of the Ryder Cup? When did it become something that you paid attention to and that was important to you?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Yeah, the 2012 Ryder Cup was kind of the first one that I watched the whole thing essentially. I mean, just watching that as a European, that gets your heart going. I think that was kind of the big part of making the Ryder Cup one of my dreams to play in.

You know, it was just — it’s just all in all, they’re obviously great players that play on these teams, but they’re also great people. I think as soon as you’re just in that environment you just want to be part of it. It’s easier to play for something bigger than yourself when you all like who you’re with.

I think that’s a big part of it, and obviously just the tradition of it.

Q. You’ve been playing in the U.S. for a while, in college and then PGA TOUR. You kind of have a fan base, people that root for you. You are not the only one on your team that will be in that situation this week, but you’re going to have a lot of people rooting against you. How do you prepare yourself for that? Do you have mental exercises that you do?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: No, I mean, I’d like to think I have some fans out there that maybe won’t necessarily boo against us, but if they do end up doing that, that’s what they’re going to do. We’re still going to play golf, and if they do end up doing that, that means we’re doing something good.

I’m not going to take anything too personally. I can take a punch to the face. I’ve definitely gotten my beating so far in the group text. I think I’m prepared for some yells here and there.

Q. I’m curious who other than Padraig is the most active voice on that group text, and what kind of things are you all talking about on there?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Probably shouldn’t disclose too much, but no, it could be anything. Could be logistical stuff. Could just be, Hey, you’re hitting balls and your TrackMan numbers. It could be anything. What are you cooking, what are you eating. Just to kind of get to know each other better.

I’d say we’re all pretty vocal in it. It’s not just one or two people just firing off and annoying the rest of the bunch. We’re all pretty active in it. So that’s good. Yeah.

Q. What kind of a beating have you taken?

VIKTOR HOVLAND: Well, there’s been some team members that have gotten a hold of some old pictures of me and had some fun with them. But it’s all good banter, and again, just bringing us closer together.

THE MODERATOR: Viktor, thank you for finding us. Have a terrific day and a great week in Wisconsin.

Transcript by ASAP Sports

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Rory McIlroy: “I’m on the winning team this week.”

THE RYDER CUP

September 21, 2021

Rory McIlroy

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: Good morning. Welcome back to the 43rd Ryder Cup here at Whistling Straits. We are joined by Rory McIlroy. Welcome to your sixth career Ryder Cup.

This is your sixth straight, so you’ve been on the scene for a decade, a decade of great prosperity for Europe. Maybe one thing in that decade that you’ve been around that’s changed or evolved and maybe one thing that hasn’t changed and you hope never does.

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I mean, I think as the Ryder Cup has evolved I think it’s become bigger, I guess, every year as it becomes more — I thought last time in France, the size of that grandstand on the first tee and the grandness of it all, it definitely felt like that was the biggest yet.

And then in terms of things that haven’t changed for us as Europe, there’s a lot of continuity in our team, and I think that’s been part of the reason for our success. That’s something that I hope never changes because it’s worked very well for us.

Yeah, I mean, I think that the Ryder Cup epitomizes everything that’s great in the game of golf. It’s competitive but there’s also a lot of sportsmanship shown. And obviously there’s partisan crowds and all of that, but that’s part of being in a team environment. You’re going to have a majority of the crowd rooting for one team or the other.

I guess that’s not something we get to experience every day.

Yeah, Ryder Cup is one of the best events that we have in golf, if not the best event we have in golf, and just excited to be a part of another one.

Q. With yourself and so many of your teammates spending a lot of your lives over here, does it make it any less of an away game, or will it be particularly away game style this year with so few fans from Europe?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I don’t think so. I think if anything that has evolved over the years with the Ryder Cup is the European team and the U.S. Team are probably closer than they ever have been individually. We all spend a lot of time over here. We play predominantly on the PGA TOUR. So there is a part of that.

But still, you know you’re — there’s a sea of red everywhere here. It feels like an American Ryder Cup.

But then again, I haven’t been here in a few years, and you first look at the golf course again and it seems somewhat familiar, and it seems — doesn’t look like a typical American golf course.

Whether that makes a difference or not, that’s to be seen.

I said this in a few of the interviews before this week. I don’t feel like playing away is getting any easier. If anything it’s probably getting a little tougher.

Q. A little bit of the same topic. The Americans obviously play for America. If you’re Team Europe there’s a lot of countries there. What’s kind of the rallying point that brings you all together?

RORY McILROY: We play for each other. I think that’s the best thing that you can do. You play for the guys that are beside you. You play for everyone that’s helping our team try to win this week. You’re obviously playing for your country and your continent and I guess your Tour in some way, as well.

But most of all, we play for each other.

Q. The Ryder Cup could have maybe been played last year but that would have likely meant no fans. I know this is an away game for you this week, but what does it mean to have the fans here and what role do they play in this event?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I just think it makes it a greater spectacle. There were talks of having the Ryder Cup last year with limited fans or no fans, and my argument was it wouldn’t be a Ryder Cup at all. That’s not — I don’t think either team — it probably would have been to the European team’s benefit to not have that, but it’s not a Ryder Cup then.

So it’s great to have fans back. It’s funny, when the Ryder Cup was canceled last year, I still didn’t imagine that we’d be doing this and everyone would still be in masks. Things went on for far too long. But happy we’re here and happy to be playing.

Q. Typically you’re one of the top-ranked Europeans on this thing. Have you ever felt a leadership burden when you come to the Ryder Cup or do you defer to some of the guys like Poulter and Sergio and Westwood who have been here even more often than you, and is it something that you will maybe have to take on as an elder statesman as the Ryder Cup goes on?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think I’ve already tried to evolve into that role. This being my sixth Ryder Cup, 2014 I felt like was the year that I embraced the role of being a leader, and then going on from then.

But yeah, I think that’s one of the great things about the European team. It’s not as if we’re just looking to one guy. There’s a collection of very experienced players there that some of the younger guys and the rookies can look at.

And then you look at our vice captains, as well, and you look at all the pivotal roles they’ve played in Ryder Cups over the years. We have no shortage of leaders on our team.

Q. Just curious what your impression of what Poults and Sergio and Lee have done, the longevity, the success, and what’s your level of respect for what they’ve meant to this team over the years?

RORY McILROY: It’s amazing. You look at someone like Lee Westwood, for example, partnered Nick Faldo in ’97 when it was Faldo’s Ryder Cup. It was his 11th.

Fast forward however many years it is and now Lee is playing his 11th Ryder Cup.

I think that’s one of the cool things about it is it does come full circle. We have this thing this week where we’ve all been given a player number, so there’s been 164 players that have played for the European Ryder Cup team, or GB&I way back in the day.

So that’s a pretty small group of players. I’m No. 144; I think Lee is No. 118. But then you just look at all the players before you, and you look at Bernd Wiesberger who’s making his debut this year who’s No. 164.

It’s a small collection of people that have played for Europe in the Ryder Cup. I think that’s what brings us very close together, and that’s been one of our sort of big focus points this week is just being here is very special and being part of a European team. Very few people can call themselves a European Ryder Cup player.

Q. Was that Paddy’s idea, the numbering?

RORY McILROY: Yeah. He played a video for us last night to put it into context. 570 people have been into space. I think over 5,000 people have climbed Everest. 225 have won a men’s major. When you sort of break it down like that it’s a pretty small group and it’s pretty cool.

Q. You had your debut in the Ryder Cup when you were only 20 years old. Viktor Hovland is now 24. What’s your advice to such a young player like Viktor before this big competition?

RORY McILROY: I mean, I think the thing that I’d say to any rookie is the reason you’re on this team is because of the golf that got you here. I mean, for Viktor I’d just tell him to be himself. He’s one of the best players in the world. He’s already been a wonderful teammate, and the energy and enthusiasm that he brings into our team.

For Viktor, I’d just get out on the golf course, be himself, play his game, and that’s more than good enough to win points for the European team.

Q. In your opinion is the PGA TOUR Player of the Year on Team Europe or Team USA?

RORY McILROY: I don’t care. I just care I’m on the winning team this week.

Q. You made the point that Europe plays for each other; do you think the American team struggles with that?

RORY McILROY: No. I mean, I was just sort of from my perspective being part of a team for now six of these things, I’m just speaking from a personal perspective and what I’ve seen from the European team.

Q. I may be wrong but I think you’ve developed a bit of an interest in boxing, and I think you’ve met Anthony. I just wondered if you’ve had any communication with him because obviously a very big night for him Saturday and whether you’ve had any exchanges with him in the buildup to your big weekend and his big weekend.

RORY McILROY: No, because the last time I saw him he was doing his camp in Miami and then he went up to New York and didn’t have a great night.

But no, it’s a big night for him. Pretty big test. Usyk looks like a really good fighter. Hopefully, unless I’m rested on Saturday afternoon I’ll hopefully be on the golf course so I won’t be able to watch it, but wishing him the best and all the luck.

I think how he conducts himself and how he represents himself in the sport of boxing is — talking about leadership and talking about doing the right thing, he’s the epitome of that.

Q. The last time we saw you playing Ryder Cup in America was probably as animated as we’ve ever seen you on the golf course. Do you think you need to tap into that same level of energy? And the fact that it’s almost exclusively an American crowd, will that help with that cause?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I certainly will try to not be as animated and I’ll try to conserve some energy. It’s a long week. Whether I play all five again, we’ll see, but it’s a lot of golf. It’s a lot of energy just playing, then trying to beat who you’re playing against. If you try to beat the crowd, as well, it seems like a bit of an impossible task.

I will try my best for this team and I’ll try to play the best golf I possibly can, but I sort of learned quite a few things from 2016 about conserving energy.

I felt like I sort of hit a wall on the back nine against Patrick that day, and I want to make sure that that doesn’t happen again.

Q. Was that the most animated you’ve been do you think, the most pumped up?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, I think the most animated I’ve been in my career has been at Ryder Cups. It just brings something out of you that you don’t get playing individually. There’s something more there when you’re playing as part of a team, and everything you do doesn’t just affect yourself but affects the other 11 players, the captain, the vice captains, all the support team.

There’s a lot of emotion that comes out, but you still have to try to control that, as well.

Q. Just in the context of what you were saying about the Ryder Cup getting bigger and getting harder to win away, if Europe were to get over the line, what would that mean in the context of your career? How big of an achievement would that be?

RORY McILROY: It would be massive. I think winning any Ryder Cup is huge and it’s a monumental achievement for all that are involved, but I think over the years winning a Ryder Cup on the road has just become more meaningful for some reason. We experienced it in 2012, which from a European perspective is probably one of the best days in the Ryder Cup that we’ve ever had in history. I’d certainly love to have that feeling again.

Yeah, I think it would be a huge achievement, especially you look at obviously this tournament isn’t played on paper, it’s played on grass, but on paper you would — you look at the World Rankings and everything, we’re coming in here as underdogs with a lot of things stacked against us, so I think that would make it even more of an achievement.

Q. Just being here at the end of the PGA TOUR season, I was just wondering your confidence level with your own game right now and just if there’s anything specifically that you’re focused on.

RORY McILROY: I feel good. Played well the last few weeks. Led the season in birdies made on the PGA TOUR, birdie percentage, so usually that works out pretty well in match play. Yeah, I’m feeling good.

Q. Should we expect to see you wearing hats this week?

RORY McILROY: They made some for me, so that’s a start. So I’ve got some that fit. Maybe. I don’t know. It’s sort of become my thing in the Ryder Cup to not wear a hat, but I don’t know. We’ll see.

THE MODERATOR: Rory, thank you for finding us and have a terrific day.

Transcript by ASAP Sports