As Europe Captain Confesses Bizarre Rory McIlroy Plan, Will the Americans Finally Break the 30-Year-Old Curse?

The Ryder cup is just weeks away from teeing off at Marco Simone in Italy. Speculation is rife about who is going to play in which sessions. Among all these, the European captain has dropped a major hint about his master-plan for two of the biggest names in his team–Rory McIlroy & Jon Rahm. Unfortunately, for countless fans eager to see the two men in action, it doesn’t spell well.

Europe is prepping hard to wrestle back the title from USA’s grip. Team USA too will be keen on breaking their thirty-year curse of not winning the Ryder Cup on European soil. In a charged environment like this, most fans and analysts were expecting Luke Donald would heavily rely on the two big guns. However, the veteran has other things in mind.

Fans might not get to see much of Rory McIlroy & Jon Rahm

McIlroy and Rahm are arguably two of the biggest names in the European squad. McIlroy, on the verge of making his seventh appearance, has been a member of every European team since his debut in 2010 winning a total of 14 points for his team. Rahm, after two memorable performances in 2018 & 2021, meanwhile is set to make his third appearance in the biennial event.

Being a four-time Ryder Cup champion, European captain Luke Donald knows the value of freshness at the highest stage of golf. With temperatures slated to reach thirty degrees, he has floated the idea of ‘benching’ two of his best players in some sessions.

“It is something we’ve talked about and discussed with a few players who you’d think would play five and had conversations with them about what they might be expecting for the week,” the Express quoted him as saying.

Elaborating on this further, the veteran captain added, “You want some freshness, it is going to be a tiring golf course, it could be quite warm. We’ll have to make those decisions based on play on Friday and Saturday.”

Read More: Luke Donald vs Rory McIlroy: Team Europe’s Real Torchbearer for the 2023 Ryder Cup

Donald, no doubt, will want his best players to be in their best form – both physically and mentally. Resting them well before the final showdown on Sunday seems to be his strategy. But, it’s not just the players who are part of his plans.

The same rule applies to caddies as well

A captain thinks about everyone on board. Obviously, Donald also has caddies in his mind when he thinks of exhaustion and fatigue in the team. “For the caddies, we have enough people there to fill in if someone can’t do 36 holes. That has all been thought about,” he further added.

Surely, Luke Donald will rely on the best performance from these two to wrestle the title back from USA after last edition’s humiliation at Whistling Straits. All the more reason for him to ensure that his best players burst with energy and adrenaline even in the sweltering heat of the extended Mediterranean summer. What do you think of Donald’s strategy? Do you agree with him? Let us know in the comments section below.

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