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2021 Ryder Cup Preview: What to Expect from Rory McIlroy

By Tim Letcher

KOHLER, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 21: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and team Europe speaks to the media prior to the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on September 21, 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
KOHLER, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 21: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and team Europe speaks to the media prior to the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits on September 21, 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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The Ryder Cup competition between Europe and the United States begins this week at Whistling Straits Golf Course in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The top 12 players from each side will meet with the winner taking home one of the most coveted trophies in golf.

As the teams prepare for competition, we will be doing the same by previewing the players in this year’s event. Today, we look at Team Europe’s Rory McIlroy.

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Ryder Cup experience – This will be McIlroy’s sixth appearance – all in a row – in the Ryder Cup. His overall record in Ryder Cup play is 11-9-4. That includes a 4-3-2 mark in four-ball, a 5-4-1 record in foursomes and a 2-2-1 record in singles.

Worldwide experience – McIlroy has won all over the world, including 19 times on the PGA Tour. He has won four major championships in his career (2011 U.S. Open, 2012 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship, 2014 PGA Championship), has won the Players Championship (2019) and has won three World Golf Championship titles. His most recent win came in May of this year at the Wells Fargo Championship.

What to expect – As talented as McIlroy is, his record in Ryder Cups is not all that great. He’s basically a .500 player, which is not what you would expect from someone with his immense talent.

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McIlroy is expected to be one of the leaders of the European side in 2021 but is that a role he’s ready to assume? With veterans like Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia on the team, can McIlroy be a leader? Or does he once again take a back seat to the veterans.

It seems like McIlroy has been playing forever, yet he’s still just 32 years of age. The Euros are hoping that he will grow into one of those outstanding Ryder Cup players. But at this point, he simply hasn’t been that great. Could this be the year that everything changes for McIlroy? The guess here is no, but that he will have his normal 2-3 point contribution to the European cause.