I needed to get back to

Europe, says Rory McIlroy


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Rory McIlroy admits that his latest stint in America took its toll on him and he needed to get back to Europe.
The 21 year-old Northern Irish player makes his Ryder Cup debut at Celtic Manor next week and, having finished third in the last two majors, is seen as a key man in Colin Montgomerie’s plans.
“I was not my normal self in America the last couple of weeks,” said McIlroy, who might well lead things off for Europe alongside his compatriot and close friend Graeme McDowell.
“I needed to refresh my mind and I definitely feel I will be going into the Ryder Cup in a better frame.”
It was McIlroy’s original hope that he would be playing this week in Atlanta in the final leg of the FedEx Cup play-offs.
But after finishes of 56th, 37th and 37th in the first three events of the series he failed to be among the 30 qualifiers for the Tour Championship, and now views that as a blessing in disguise.
The world No 8 had played six of the previous seven weeks and added: “I’m definitely going to look at my schedule.
“It’s been great having the last week at home. That’s when I get my best work done and I’m very happy with how it all went.
“Now I’m concentrating on getting my game in the best shape possible. If I can do that it’s half the battle.
“Obviously it’s my first experience (of a Ryder Cup) and one I’m going to try to enjoy.”
McIlroy’s enthusiasm for the match was called into question when he described it as “an exhibition” last year.
But although he still puts success in majors and even world championships higher on his career wish list, he is still “up for the cup”.
Winner of four points out of five for Britain and Ireland against Continental Europe in the Vivendi Trophy last September, he said: “I sort of forgot how good it (match-play) was. We won and it was great to share the win with 11 other guys.
“Next week is going to be fantastic. It’s definitely not an exhibition, it’s a great spectacle. I said exhibition last year when I was not focused on a team event.”
Three of his victories at the Vivendi Trophy came with McDowell as his partner and all of them were achieved going out first.
Meanwhile, Masters champion Phil Mickelson has decided not to play the two-day Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda next month and this season’s three other major winners will instead by joined by Ernie Els.
With Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell having lifted the US Open, Els’s fellow South African Louis Oosthuizen the Open and German Martin Kaymer the US PGA it means that no American will be taking part in the four-man event for the first time since 1994.
A statement from the PGA of America said that Mickelson, the world No 2 “will not be able to compete due to his diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis. Mickelson elected to rest and spend time with his family for a month after a busy late season schedule that includes the Ryder Cup”.