Europe to use uses VR headsets to prepare for Ryder noise and abuse
NOISE REDUCTION: Rory McIlroy arrives at Heathrow Airport ahead of his departure back to the US ahead of next week's Ryder Cup . Pic: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Whatever heckling European players might face at the Ryder Cup in New York could be what they already have heard before, all because of virtual reality headsets that Rory McIlroy says can be adjusted to hear the harshest abuse.
Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has said his European team will be prepared for the noise at Bethpage Black, the public course with the reputation for having among the rowdiest and at times obnoxious golf fans.
McIlroy told reporters after the BMW PGA Championship Sunday that Donald handed players the VR equipment on Tuesday night after a team gathering. It allows players to visualise the course while adjusting the noise — and insults — from outside the ropes.
“It is just to simulate the sights and sounds and noise,” McIlroy said. “That’s the stuff that we are going to have to deal with. So it’s better to try to de-sensitise 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.”
Europe had 11 players at Wentworth and was headed for New York for practice at Bethpage Black. Sepp Straka was home with a newborn last week and is expected to join them. Straka is among five European players who have never competed at Bethpage Black.
Europe last won the Ryder Cup on U.S. soil in 2012 at Medinah, and that required a stunning comeback led by Ian Poulter.
“We are doing everything we can to best prepare ourselves for what it is going to feel like on Friday week,” McIlroy said. “But nothing can really prepare you until you’re actually in that. You can wear all the VR headsets you want and do all the different things we’ve been trying to do to get ourselves ready but once the first tee comes on Friday it’s real and we just have to deal with whatever’s given.”
Europe can at least count on more support than its last road Ryder Cup. That was in 2021 at Whistling Straits, with worldwide travel restrictions from COVID-19 still in place. There were hardly any European fans at all in an American rout.
Ryder Cup vice-captain, Sweden's Alex Noren defeated France's Adrien Saddier in a play-off amid challenging weather conditions to win the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
The overnight leaders finished three shots clear of the field on 19 under par, but could not be separated after 72 holes.
It was Noren, a vice-captain for the Ryder Cup in New York later this month, who produced a fine shot out of the rough to set up short birdie putt to take the play-off at the first extra hole and claim his 12th win on the DP World Tour.
Following on from his victory at last month's Betfred British Masters, only Rory McIlroy, who has 20 titles, has won more times on the DP World Tour since 2009 than Noren.
Saddier registered another agonising miss after blowing 36-hole and 54-hole leads at the European Masters and the Irish Open, respectively, over the last few weeks.
England's Aaron Rai had an exceptional bogey-free round of 66, which was matched by former Masters champion Patrick Reed as the pair tied for third at 16 under.
"I love it," said Noren, after winning this event for the second time in his career. "This tournament is unbelievable. I told all the guys in the States to come over here. I think it's one of the best tournaments in the whole world. It just gets better every year. I'm so grateful we have these kind of tournaments.
"Amazing. It was such a tough, emotional back nine. He played very well, Adrien, and I thought the leaderboard was kind of stacked the whole way down to 13, 14. It just kept going.
"I knew the conditions were going to be tough the last seven holes. It's a weird one because you can't just wait for the rain to come. Hard to focus on the game, as well, because you know it's tough and you don't know how bad it's going to be."
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