Let the Games Begin
Rory McIlroy begins 2025 Ryder Cup trash talk at Olympics press conference
Ramsey Cardy
SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — Rory McIlroy may still be smarting from his missed cut at the Open Championship, which included his worst round at a major in five years, but he’s maintaining his scratch-handicap in trash talk.
Heading into his second Olympics appearance, McIlroy addressed the media in Paris and threw in a left hook when describing how Le Golf National is expected to play this week. You’ll remember this was the same venue where the Europeans basically annihilated the Americans in the 2018 Ryder Cup, 17½ -10½.
When asked how different the course will play compared to the demanding Ryder Cup setup, notable for its narrow fairways and thick rough, McIlroy said he expected it to be same as it was six years ago.
“I don't think it will play that much differently,” he said. “It's so pure. It's in such great shape. But the rough is thick. It's a pretty meaty setup.”
When the point was made that the non-fairway areas might not be as long as they were in 2018, McIlroy offered a sideways response, much in line with his Ryder Cup rejoinder at the Old Course on Monday, that the U.S. fans at Bethpage Black next year might want to take note of:
“Ask the Americans. I wasn’t in it much that week.”
Classy. Although, one point of clarification, McIlroy did go 2-3 for the week in Paris, including an opening Sunday singles loss to Justin Thomas. Take that, Rory.