Rory McIlroy: It’s been a bit of a love-in for the last week

Rory McIlroy praised Team Europe’s character and compatibility as he soaked in the moment of a fourth Ryder Cup success at Le Golf National last night.

McIlroy had failed to add to his two points from four matches when he lost the opening singles match of the final day but individual success was never a priority for the Europeans on captain Thomas Bjorn’s team and the Irishman paid tribute to the group’s chemistry after they compiled an overwhelming 17½ to 10½ victory over a much-vaunted American team.

So highly regarded that one US golf journalist predicted his country’s golfers would dominate the Ryder Cup for a decade, a point not lost on the European team judging by the cheer that went up from the victory press conference top table when McIlroy asked the said writer to make himself known.

Perhaps that in itself underlined McIlroy’s point, that there was “just something about this group of guys”.

I just think we all get along so well. We’ve known each other for a long time and there’s a continuity in our group that maybe the other side don’t quite have, just because of the rookies coming in and the new guys, but even the rookies in our team, we’ve all known for a long time; I first played with Thorbjørn (Olesen) in the Egyptian Open in 2010.

“We’ve known each other for a long, long time and we get along well.

“The togetherness of the team, the great camaraderie we have, that’s built up on The European Tour, and obviously we all have our separate lives going on, but once we get together for The Ryder Cup, we all come together as one.

“You know, it was just such a good week.”

McIlroy said he had been hurt by the experience of losing a Ryder Cup for the first time at Hazeltine two years ago and how that pain been a motivating factor in Paris this time around.

“We took a really tough loss at Hazeltine a couple of years ago and that stung. That was my first experience of what it feels like to be on the other side, so coming in here, obviously none of us wanted to feel like that on a Sunday afternoon.

“I think that the leadership’s been great. I think the players, the rookies have been phenomenal.

“We’ve all just stuck to our jobs and one of the great things about today is we all won Ryder Cup points.

Jon Rahm got a point and Thorbjørn got a point and I’m delighted for them, it means that all 12 (got a point), it validates what Thomas has wanted to do. It validates who made the team, the picks he made. It’s a culmination of two years of very hard work and I’m delighted for everyone that’s a part of it.

None more so than captain Bjorn, of whom the world number six offered the highest praise of all.

“He’s been incredible. Just over the past two years, he’s been great. He’s been in constant contact with all the guys that were either going to be on the team or on the periphery, and you know, he’s built up a real rapport within the squad.

“Not just with the players and himself but within the players, as well. We’ve had this WhatsApp group going for a few weeks now, and it’s been a bit of a love-in for the last week, I’ll tell you that.

“It’s been fantastic to be a part of and one of the great things about Ryder Cups is you forge friendships that last a lifetime. I think a few of those friendships have been forged this week.”

Before the Europeans started spraying champagne over each other on the putting green, McIlroy predicted a special night of celebration, especially for dynamic duo Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood.

“Francesco and Tommy have gotten awfully close this week so I don’t know what’s going to happen between them tonight,” McIlroy said.

“It’s been incredible. The atmosphere has been fantastic.

“Even after the loss at Hazeltine, we had a good time on Sunday night because it’s the last time we’re all going to be together for a while this. This one will be extra special.”