Why Rory McIlroy is 'on the march' to make Ryder Cup history as attitude praised

Rory McIlroy is a player with a "big personality" both on the course and behind the scenes, according to Paul McGinley. The Northern Irishman is currently gearing up to defend Team Europe's Ryder Cup title at Bethpage Black this weekend under captain Luke Donald.

And while the team will also rely on players like Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry and Viktor Hovland to dig deep to get Europe over the line at the prestigious competition, McIlroy's attitude and work ethic could give them a major helping hand if McGinley's assessment is anything to work off.

Speaking on Sky Sports, the pundit said: "He's a player that has got a big personality behind the scenes, as well as a personality on the golf course. He's a guy that has really bought in more to this Ryder Cup over the years, I think it's fair to say that.

"He won four out of five points in Rome, that's pretty good. His record at the moment stands at 55 per cent - it'll be better than that by the time he finishes his career. He's on the march with this.

"And one thing about Rory you've got to really admire is when he puts a goal out there that he really wants to do, he generally achieves it."

Far from McIlroy's first rodeo at the Ryder Cup, 2025 will mark the 36-year-old's eighth-consecutive appearance at the prestigious tournament - dating all the way back to 2010's event at Celtic Manor Resort. Alongside his team-mates, he has also lifted the title five times and was a major player in 2023's showing at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.

McIlroy earned four points from five matches at the tournament as Europe ran out 16.5-11.5 winners. And after an incredible season on the PGA Tour and in major competitions, golf fans on this side of the pond will hope for more of the same from McIlroy as the 2025 Ryder Cup gets underway at Bethpage Black on Friday morning.

The Holywood-born star has won three times on the PGA Tour this year, clinching the ATandT Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the Players Championship and the Irish Open, as well as completing the Career Grand Slam by finally securing the Green Jacket of the Masters in April.

However, he will face stiff competition in a rowdy New York crowd favouring Team USA this weekend, as well as the task of getting the better of some of America's finest players on the greens and fairways of the course. However, Jaime Diaz believes that McIlroy shouldn't face any issues in keeping calm and composed through a wave of hecklers.

The seasoned golf writer said: "With reference to the Irish Open, that was very revitalising, got him out of that funk. And now here we are and I think it's just an experience to see he's about relationships, he's about the love of competing, and he's set the goal of, 'Let's win an away Ryder Cup'.

"But at the same time, it's small-scale to me - a small-scale goal. If he doesn't get it, it's okay, and honestly, as much as we have all this build-up, Europe doesn't really have that much to lose. They are the away team.

"If they lose, it's not going to change the stature of the Ryder Cup or their stature as a team. To me, Rory will be a lightning rod for the fans. I don't think he'll rise to the bait.

"I think he's going to stay above the fray, because he doesn't want another occurrence like Rome and I think that'll be better for his concentration and just for his experience. And then when this is all over, he can savour this great year and really look at it in the long view."