McIlroy: US ‘desperate’ to end Europe’s Cup dominance

Rory McIlroy believes the USA are ‘desperate’ to end Europe’s dominance in the Ryder Cup.

McIlroy, who returns to competition at the Honda Classic following a three-week break, also expressed surprise at the selection of Davis Love III as the 2016 US Ryder Cup captain.

“It came as a big shock when they announced that Davis was going to be the next US captain,” said McIlroy last night. “It will be great to see Davis and Darren (Clarke) go head-to-head at Hazeltine. They will be formidable opponents. But I’m surprised, and I feel they’re overdoing it, with the setting up of a task force and also talking about all the changes they want to bring in.

“It’s not rocket science why Europe have won the last three Ryder Cups and eight of the past 10. It was a freak we won at Medinah in 2012 and if the States had won then Davis would have been considered a great captain.

“I get the sense the States, what with their task force and everything are desperate to win back the Ryder Cup.”

However Love III has fired the first salvo in the Hazeltine countdown by questioning Paul McGinley’s selection of five Gleneagles vice-captains, and what the American claimed was contrary to the ‘Captains Agreement’.

McGinley employed Des Smyth, Sam Torrance, Padraig Harrington and the Spaniards Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

And in a move that was afterwards applauded, McGinley appointed Smyth to remain with those players not competing on either the morning or afternoon session at Gleneagles.

“We’ve joked because it says in the captain’s agreement that both captain’s sign ahead of every Ryder Cup that there should be a maximum of only four vice-captains yet Europe always seems to have five,” said Love.

“So when we get to Hazeltine we are going to have a lot of carts and a lot of people in my team.

“So I am going to take advantage of having more inside the ropes working for the US cause and while nobody wants like 150 people in the team locker room you do want guys on the outside. We have learned a lot and that’s what I keep saying: ‘We’ve learned and we’ve been watching’”.

nIRISH TEE TIMES: Rory McIlroy (5.45pm Irish); Padraig Harrington (1.05pm Irish); Graeme McDowell (12.35pm Irish).