Rory McIlroy aims to inspire GB&I Walker Cup team in hype video, daggers U.S. Ryder Cup team in the process

PEBBLE BEACH — How many different teams can you fire up with one hype video? Rory McIlroy is about to find out.

According to a Golf Channel report, on the eve of the 50th Walker Cup, Great Britain & Ireland captain Dean Robertson played a taped message from McIlroy for his team in hopes of inspiring his 10-man roster in its quest to win the biennial match against the United States for just the third time on the road.

McIlroy, who competed in the Walker Cup in a losing effort at Royal County Down in 2007, acknkowledged his participation. “As someone who played a Walker Cup and wasn’t able to quite get it done, and then to go on to play Ryder Cups and be able to beat the Yanks in their own backyard, nothing feels better,” said McIlroy, who was a member of the European side that came back to beat the Americans in the “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012.

This in and of itself was relatively harmless. But the way Northern Irishman finished the message, according to the report, could serve not only as motivation for the GB&I team but also an American squad that McIlroy will be facing in a few weeks time.

“Please beat them because I know we’re going to beat them at Bethpage.”

Hmm …

McIlroy had to know that this line would not remain in the confines of the GB&I team room at Cypress Point. That said, he this isn’t the first time he’s spoken out confidently that the European team would play well at Bethpage. During the winner’s press conference at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, McIlroy noted “I’ve said this for the last probably six or seven years to anyone who’ll listen. I think one of the biggest accomplishments in golf right now is to win in an away Ryder Cup. And that’s what we’re going to do at Bethpage.”

McIlroy laid out his thoughts about the Ryder Cup earlier this week as well when he spoke with the media ahead of the Irish Open.

“Honestly, since The Open passed, it’s the one thing I’ve really been looking towards and making sure my game is in the best possible shape,” McIlroy said. “I think we have a wonderful opportunity to do something — honestly, one of the greatest achievements in the game right now is to win an away Ryder Cup, and I think this European team has a great opportunity to do that.

“When I look at my career and my whole picture as a golfer, I basically, I’ve done everything I wanted to,” McIlroy said. “I guess everything after that it’s a bonus, but you have to reassess your goals. The one thing for me this year to reassess my goals, an away Ryder Cup, after everything that’s happened this year, would be — I would look back on 2025, and there’s no way that I would — if I did have a better year in the game, I’d love to see it. But if we were to win an away Ryder Cup with everything else that I’ve been through this year, 2025 would be the best year of my career.”

Mind you, if McIlroy already wasn’t going to be a player Team USA was gunning for, he will be now.