The European Ryder Cup team have gone to extreme measures to prepare for the hostile atmosphere at Bethpage this week, but even Rory McIlroy had to laugh this one off
Rory McIlroy and his European teammates have been well-warned in advance of the hostile atmosphere they can expect at this week’s Ryder Cup.
Golf’s prestigious biannual team event gets under way this afternoon at the notoriously difficult Bethpage Black course on the outskirts of New York City.
Sports fans in New York are famously passionate and much of the build-up ahead of the 2025 renewal has focused on how Luke Donald will prepare his team for the fans as much as the course.
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With an estimated 50,000 fans expected at the course each day, including US president Donald Trump, who’ll attend later today, the Team Europe captain gave his players VR headsets that simulated the expected crowd noise this week.
“It is just to simulate the sights and sounds and noise.” stated McIlroy.
“That’s the stuff that we are going to have to deal with. So it’s better to try to de-sensitize yourself as much as possible before you get in there. You can get them to say whatever you want them to say. So you can go as close to the bone as you like.”
However, McIlroy could only laugh when a fan delivered a perfectly-timed heckle during Thursday’s final practice session.
As the US Masters champion was appearing to button his shirt on the tee, a fan could be heard shouting: “You don’t need a button to choke Rory!”
The heckle drew a brilliant response from McIlroy himself with Shane Lowry also appearing to appreciate the remark.
The action starts at 12.10pm this afternoon with the opening foursomes session. The first match will be Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton against Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas.
In the second match, Ludwig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick take on Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley with McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood in the third match against Collin Morikawa and Harris English.
The final match in the opening session will be Robert McIntyre and Victor Hovland against Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.
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