Rory McIlroy wants Ryder Cup focus to be on Europe’s performance

Rory McIlroy has claimed the Ryder Cup is being remembered for the wrong reasons and said he wants “to shift the narrative”.

McIlroy, who secured three-and-a-half points as Europe won 15-13 last month in New York, was a prime target for abuse from a partisan crowd at Bethpage Black.

Speaking before his first tournament since Europe’s triumph and his first in India at the DP World Tour’s new India Championship, which starts on Thursday, McIlroy feels the focus should be on Europe’s performance.

He said: “The unfortunate thing is people aren’t remembering that and they are remembering the week for the wrong reason.

“I would like to shift the narrative and focus on how good the European team were and how proud I was to be part of that team to win an away Ryder Cup.

“I’ve been following the sort of narrative coming out of the Ryder Cup just like everyone else,” he said.

“But unfortunately, I think it takes away from what we focused on, which is what an incredible performance it was by the European team.”

McIlroy has twice been a Ryder Cup winner on American soil having been in Europe’s team when they won in Medinah in 2012, while he has won in six of his eight Ryder Cup appearances.

But while heaping praise on past team captains, and Luke Donald in particular, he revealed as long as he is still competing at the top as a player, he will not consider taking on the role “until the mid-2030s”.

“I would love to be a captain one day, and I feel very fortunate that I’ve had a front-row seat playing under some of the best captains in history in the Ryder Cup,” he said.

“But I think the time and the effort and the dedication that Luke Donald has put into the last four years, it’s been absolutely amazing.

“He has 100 per cent respect of the entire team and everyone that’s worked for him and all are behind him. If I can be nearly as good as a captain as Luke Donald, I’ll have done a good job.

“So hopefully one day in the future, but I’d say not until the mid-2030s, hopefully, if I can keep playing well.”

McIlroy, , the Race to Dubai leader, will play alongside Ryder Cup team-mate Viktor Hovland and Ben Griffin over the opening two days in Delhi, where there is a £3million prize fund.

He added: “I’m excited to play a golf tournament in a place that I’ve never played before.

“Eighteen-odd years into a professional career and to still be able to do things for the first time is something that excites me.”