After telling Rory McIlroy he’s mediocre, Ryder Cup’s strategic advisor claims it was “on purpose” and compared him to other golfers

Paul McGinley recently revealed that he criticized Rory McIlroy for his Ryder Cup record on purpose. Last year, during the prestigious Ryder Cup held in Rome, European team captain Luke Donald invited McGinley to share his valuable advice with the players ahead of the biennial tournament.

In the meeting, the European Ryder Cup team's strategic adviser slammed McIlroy, stating his record in the event was "average." He compared McIlroy's score with those of Ryder Cup superstars Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia.

In an interview with the Irish Independent recently, Paul McGinley opened up about the incident and said he told McIlroy all that "on purpose." He said:

“I was doing that on purpose. I told Luke I would be the bad guy in the media and dismiss his Ryder Cup record. So Luke invited me and ‘Monty’ [Colin Montgomerie] in to speak to the team one night and straight away, Rory comes up and says, ‘So tell me about my Ryder Cup record? I’ve a f**king average Ryder Cup record?’. And I said, yeah, you have. I told him straight. Look at Luke’s record. Look at Sergio’s record. Far superior to yours.”

If Paul McGinley did that on purpose, then it certainly worked for Rory McIlroy, who performed exceptionally well and helped his team win the Ryder Cup in 2023, proving his golfing skills to the world.

It is important to note that Rory McIlroy has played in the Ryder Cup seven times and holds an overall record of 16-13-4. In 2023, McIlroy played in five matches and recorded four points for his team's victory, undoubtedly one of his best performances at the Ryder Cup so far.

Meanwhile, Sergio Garcia has played in the Ryder Cup nine times and has won 22 matches. His record is 22-12-7, while Donald has only played in four Ryder Cups and holds a record of 10-4-1.

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Paul McGinley calls Rory McIlroy "the best player in the modern era"

In the same interview, Paul McGinley opened up about Rory McIlroy's incredible golf career and his chances of winning a Major at next week's US Open. McGinley called McIlroy the best player of the "modern era." He said (via Irish Independent):

"He is by far, in my opinion, the best player in the modern era and by no means is he mentally weak. But there is an element of doubt that’s crept in, that’s been validated by 10 years of not succeeding in Major championships. "

The Northern Irish golfer seeks to break his 10-year-long Major drought at Pinehurst No. 2 golf course. He has been in incredible form and has a strong chance of winning the Major. Moreover, McGinley is also optimistic about McIlroy's victory at Majors.

"If he gets a win under his belt, I think it would be a release valve, and should he get one over the line, I expect to see two or three come quickly because, for me, he’s the best player of his era,"McGinley added.

Rory McIlroy is playing at this week's Memorial Tournament and maintained his spot within the top 10 after the second round. He will next play at the 2024 US Open, scheduled for June 13 to 16 at Pinehurst No. 2 Golf Course.