Rory McIlroy was overcome with emotion after defeating Xander Schauffele in their Ryder Cup singles match on Sunday, admitting that he “should have done more” as his Europe team suffered a record-breaking defeat to the United States.
McIlroy’s victory over the 2020 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist was his only point over the three days, and it ended a string of five consecutive Ryder Cup losses.
The Northern Irishman was in tears when he saw the dire situation his team was in after leading Europe on a crucial final day and claiming what could’ve been a crucial point as they attempted to mount a comeback.
“I love being part of this team. I love my teammates and I should have done more for them,” he told Sky Sports.
“I am glad I got a point on the board for Europe, but I just can’t wait to get another shot at this. I have never really cried or got emotional over what I’ve done as an individual. I’ve said naive and stupid things in the past, but this is by far the biggest tournament that we have in golf.”
On Sunday, the United States reclaimed the Ryder Cup, winning 19-9, breaking the record for the largest winning margin in the tournament’s 94-year history.
McIlroy, a four-time major champion, struggled on the first two days at Whistling Straits, losing all three of his matches.
He was left out of the morning foursomes on Saturday, the first time he had missed a Ryder Cup session.
However, after being selected to lead Europe out on the crucial final day, McIlroy returned to form, impressively defeating one of the best players in the world at the time.
However, when asked what the singles victory meant to him shortly afterward — and after a quick glance at a nearby leaderboard informing him of Europe’s precarious position — McIlroy sobbed as he explained what the tournament meant to him.
“You look at the crowds. You look at what it means, it’s the best,” he said. “I can’t wait to be a part of many, many more Ryder Cups and be teammates with some of these great guys and try to win many more.
