The Match-Winning Shot Rory McIlroy Described As "Right Up There' With The Best He's Hit
Rory McIlroy closed out his foursomes game with a stunning iron shot into the par 17th at Marco Simone
Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, now affectionately known as Fleetwood Mac, won their opening foursomes game together at the 2023 Ryder Cup as Europe swept the opening session 4-0.
The duo ended Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele's 5-0 foursomes record, with McIlroy saying his match-winning iron shot was "right up there" with the best he's hit.
The European duo were 1up with two to play at Marco Simone after losing the 16th, with USA already on the green. A missed green and bogey could have led to the match heading down the 18th but the four-time Major winner, Europe's leader and most experienced player this week, stepped up with a shot out of the top draw.
He teed it up on the 191 yard par 3 17th and stuck it to within 3ft as it "never left the flag," in his words. It gave partner Tommy Fleetwood the easiest of match-winning tap-in birdies, securing the 4-0 scoreline for Luke Donald's side.
Watch Rory McIlroy's stunning iron shot at the 2023 ryder cup:
RORY MCILROY, TAKE A BOW! 🎯#TeamEurope | #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/4jqRsdtYbOSeptember 29, 2023
"I have hit a lot of good shots in my time. That's right up there," Mcilroy said after the victory.
"I didn't know how close Patrick [Cantlay] had hit his but I just wanted to give Tommy a chance to at least stay 1 up going down the last. I was pretty certain we weren't going to go down the last, but if I keep hitting iron shots like that, then I'm going to have a pretty good week.
"If anything, my poor shot recently has been a right shot. So I kept it simple: Keep a strong clubface going back, and fully release it on the way through, aim at the target and it never left the flag."
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McIlroy was out again the afternoon fourballs alongside Matt Fitzpatrick, who is playing in his first ever Ryder Cup fourballs session.
The Englishman has a 0-5 record in Ryder Cups, having played in both of the last two away matches at Hazeltine in 2016 and Whistling Straits in 2021. He'll surely be adding some points to Europe's tally this week.
Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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