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McIlroy pumped to silence 'hostile' home crowd

Updated / Saturday, 1 Oct 2016 08:29
McIlroy celebrates his eagle putt to win his four-ball match
McIlroy celebrates his eagle putt to win his four-ball match

Rory McIlroy helped Europe battle back from a disastrous Ryder Cup opening morning by winning the afternoon session 3-1 at Hazeltine on Friday and the Holywood native admitted it was nice to show the "hostile" home support how much it meant.

Team USA got off to the perfect start in the foursomes as they won all four matches, which included a defeat for McIlroy, playing alongside Ryder Cup rookie Andy Sullivan.

But Darren Clarke’s side came roaring back in the afternoon four-balls to win the session and regain their respectability as the scoreboard read 5-3 in USA’s favour at the end of play.

"It's pretty hostile out there.” - McIlroy

McIlroy went out alongside the big-hitting Thomas Pieters – another rookie – taking on the in-form Dustin Johnson, again playing with Matt Kuchar.

The European duo took an early lead and McIlroy explained afterwards that they were intent on keeping the pressure on the American pair.

Speaking on Sky Sports after his round, McIlroy said: "We got up early and we were trying to keep the pressure on.

“I left Thomas with a bit of work to do in the middle of the round; I sort of lost myself for a little bit but thankfully I redeemed myself.”

And McIlroy finished the contest in style as he eagled the par-five 16th hole to put an end to the American revival as he drained his 15-foot putt to take the match 3&2.

“I redeemed myself at the end but all the credit has to go to this guy,” said McIlroy.

“Ryder Cup rookie and he has taken to it like a natural. He has been incredible all day. Even the way he played this morning in the foursomes and what he did out there in the afternoon. He's a stud."

McIlroy was noticeably pumped and completely focused throughout the afternoon proceedings and admitted afterwards that he wanted to show the “hostile” home crowd how much the win meant to him.

"It's pretty hostile out there,” said the four-time major winner, who mockingly bowed to the raucous crowd after holing the winning putt.

“You don’t want that to get to you, but you just want to let them know when you hole a putt how much it means to you."

In yesterday afternoon's other four-balls, Justin Rose and Open winner Henrik Stenson enjoyed a resounding 5&4 win over American pair Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.

Spaniards Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera-Bello secured the other point for Europe, beating JB Holmes and Ryan Moore 3&2, while USA's only point of the afternoon went to Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka, who beat Martin Kaymer and Danny Willett 5&4.

European captain Darren Clarke was bursting with pride after the afternoon fightback and admitted he was incredibly proud of his entire team.

"I'm massively proud of them,” said Clarke, speaking on Sky Sports. “They were all bitterly disappointed at lunchtime but they just didn't play the way we know that they can.

"And then the guys go out this afternoon, and being as far behind as they were, to go out and put in a performance like that, that was scintillating. I couldn't be more proud of those guys. They gave everything this afternoon and that means an awful lot because of the position they found themselves in at lunchtime."

And Clarke had a special word for rookie pair Matt Fitzpatrick and Chris Wood who failed to hit a competitive shot on the opening day.

"What's been more impressive, not just the guys that have been out there playing, but the way the rookies who haven't been playing thus far have excepted everything that has been going on because we are a team and everyone is part of it.

"My thing this week of 'shoulder to shoulder' shows how strong we are for the guys to go out and put in a performance like that this afternoon."

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