Rory McIlroy says stars flourished in Ryder Cup at Rome without LIV Golf trio

Rory McIlroy reckons the absence of Ryder Cup legends Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter allowed himself, as well as Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland, to “flourish” in Europe’s weekend win in Rome.

Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm of Team Europe celebrate following Sunday's win in the 44th Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome. Patrick Smith/Getty Images.

McIlroy produced his best performance in the event by picking up four points from five as Europe won 16.5-11.5 at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club to regain the coveted trophy after being thumped 19-9 two years earlier at Whistling Straits.

Hovland and Rahm were also leading lights for captain Luke Donald as they recorded three-and-half and three points respectively as Europe started a new era without the likes of Westwood, Garcia or Poulter being involved in either a playing or captaincy capacity.

As the European players emerged in the Rome Cavalieri, the team hotel, on Monday morning after celebrating a sweet success, McIlroy was asked if he thought future team members would feel comfortable with the LIV Golf trio did get the opportunity to be captains one day.

“So the one thing I would say, and they've had unbelievable Ryder Cup careers and they've made their choices, and they've done what they've done and no one can take away the impact that they've had for the European team over the years,” said the world No 2. “But I feel like this week, not having those big personalities in the team room let other guys have that chance to flourish and to shine: Viktor, Jon, myself.

“There wasn't a ton of space taken up in that room by some of the other big personalities and I think that just let the rest of the team just sort of flourish. It's a young team. We can all grow together. I could potentially be the oldest person on the team next time. It’s a new era. And it's a pretty good one.”

McIlroy said on Sunday night that all the players on the triumphant team in the Italian capital would be happy to see Donald stay on as captain for the next encounter at Bethpage Black on Long Island in New York State in 2025. “Luke has done such a good job,” said McIlroy as he addressed that possibility again. “At the end of the day, it will be down to Luke to decide if he wants to have another crack at it. I think we'd all be on board with him doing it again. But you have to cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Also speaking before leaving the Italian capital, Shane Lowry endorsed McIlroy’s backing for Donald to become Europe’s first multiple Ryder Cup captain since Bernard Gallacher’s three match stint from 1991-1995. “He is like a silent assassin,” said the Irishman. “He doesn’t say much but when he says it you listen. Every night when we went back to our rooms we had a different dad joke on our beds on a little Ryder Cup card.”

Videos posted on social media showed Bob MacIntyre, one of the rookies on Donald’s team, leading a sing song while McIlroy and Lowry roared out another tune as the party got into full swing. “That was probably the best part of the night, to be honest,” said Lowry. “It was great. It was so much fun. The songs were going. We were like a football team after winning something. It was amazing. Bobby Mac was on fire. You get so many tough days in golf that when you get a day in golf that when you have a day like that it is amazing to be around friends and enjoy it with them.”