Rory McIlroy Returns: Gift To Roy Keane, Winning The Masters & Man Utd | Stick to Football EP 109

0:00Just before we get started a quick thanks to our partners and clothing. We hope you enjoy the show. Is Rory coming straight in? Yeah, bring him in. Where's my cards gone, by the way? Gary, you're overworked today. I'm overworked every day. Overworked and overpaid. Underpaid. Have you done them, Gary? You're going to be warm. You're going to be very warm. I am so warm. You're going to be very warm. Yeah, but when you're cool, you're not warm. So you don't worry about me, Gary? I'm fuelled on coffee. Ooh! That was a long day, eh? Oh, it's a long day. No, no, no. Hey, full of energy. Stop all that nonsense.

0:39Are you telling me I'm going to be warm? Long day? Imagine people who work proper jobs. We've come here, we've been here four hours, we're in good company. Just chill out. Aha, Gary, got told off. No, do you know what, Gary? It has been a long day. But lads used to be in the dressing room in January. Long way to going, come on. There was no-one like that in the dressing room. Yordi. Imagine playing 18 holes of golf, like, four days on the bounce. Golf, I don't play golf, but it looks easy, I have to say. It's really hard. You just get in the hole. You know what, I'm not going into it. You know what, I get with golfers.

1:11I want to see golfers, right? The best players in the world. So the hole is there. I'm here, and I'm one of the best in the world. And you get in the hole, and everyone applauds it. You just put in the hole. Are you serious? I'm not 100 % serious. Jesus. The best golfers in the world. I'm not the best golfers. It's like when you get a tap in at Yorville. it's still it's still hard though to get it in from like how many yards away are there who holds there no but when you first start you've got to be able to tee to start with you've got to literally like they're fairways the driving's definitely the easiest bit I played golf once on a course that was ready for the open I think it was Birkdale and fairways were so narrow honestly it was like you literally could not see like the width of that chair for the best golfers in the world that's easy for you surely It's like you're pinging the balls out of the line, isn't it?

1:58Have you played foot golf? That's hard. That's football and golf. Have you played it? Is it? Have you played it? What's hot? Foot golf. So you have to kick it into the holes. It's hard. You're going to have to apologise to Rory and his wife, by the way, for insulting her on the programme. How did I insult her? Are we getting a new outfit? How is that an insult? What new outfit? She looked great. How many points? You know in the Raider Cup? Yeah. How many points did Rory get? Or what? He could have got, if you know what I mean. I think he got quite a few. No, I know. That means he doesn't know.

2:30He didn't win his singles on the last day, I don't think. I was watching it on the way over. I was watching it, Gary. You're not the only one who watches television. I was watching it. But it's designed to be close, if you know what I mean. When he comes in now, you're going to be like, hello, how are you? Hi, Rory. It's called being too fast. You're good at it. Do you know what? I should take up golf. You're the only golfer really here now, aren't you? Yeah, me and Rory, yeah. Golfer? No. I've played like driving... Me and Rose. You're not a golfer, are you? You're definitely not a golfer. I'm a golfer.

2:59What are you off? I'm off seven. Seven? You're playing a lot then. Yeah, I am, yeah. Wow. I'm playing a lot. Since I've done my knee, especially, it's got a lot better. So if the hole is there and you're here, how many shots would it take you to get in? Truthfully in. Maximum two. You know it's not crazy golf. It's like... It's like 400 yards away. Hang on, let me tell him. The hole is there, your ball is here, you have to get in there. Can I tell you or no? I know, and the grass goes uphill downhill like that. If it's left to right, I don't like... Left to right, yeah. You don't like left to right.

3:28I might uphill. If I'm going uphill, do I have to hit it harder? On that line... Yeah, but the really good players hit it where you're going uphill, don't they? You're in one of them fancy ones, right? See the golf club like a... Have a guess, Jamie. Have a guess. What are you a member of? Ashford Manor. My golf club's Ashford Manor. Middlesex. My mate Tony runs it. It would be a Manor, wouldn't it? Of course it would. It would just be a normal golf club. What's your problem today, bro? I can't... Are we doing this today, honestly? We're not interviewing a footballer, we're interviewing a golfer.

3:53That's his problem. Good help. Hold on, honestly. So you know that he's here today for Sports Personality of the Year. Yeah. That's tonight. And it's a public vote and he's the favourite to win it. I think he'll win it. Who do you think should win it? Who's up for it, by the way? Lando. Who? Lando. I think Luke Little is up there. Chloe Kelly. Chloe Kelly. Who would you put? This is going to come out after the... Who would you vote? Yeah, but still, we could have a little... Rory. Rory wins that. Who should we vote? Lando. I think Lando's is big, you know. What? Bigger than the... He's won the F1 Championship for the first time.

4:25Rory's on the Grand Slam, bro. He's won every single thing he can win. I'm not arguing against him. I'm just saying. It's between Lando and... No, no, no. Yeah, but Lando's won the World Championship and it's brilliant. But what Rory's done, only six people in the history of golf have done it. Oh, he's read the staff pack. Yeah, yeah. He's not read the staff pack. He googled it in the car. There's not many... No, that's easy to know if you play golf. I think it's massive pressure, the Ryder Cup. It's more pressure than you'd ever believe. Oh, it's massive. I do think he'll win. We know that. But the reason these guys are the best is because they play under pressure.

4:56That's why he's not playing at the Manor Holt with him every week. Ashford Manor. Ashford Manor, sorry. Give him the shout out. Yeah, shout out. And to Tony. But you're digging out Ashford Manor. We're all trying to be the best. What is it? The ball is playing golf. There he is. Hey! Hey! Are you doing better? Good to see him. Good to see him. I love you. Here he says that you make things up too.

5:23Hi, how are you doing? Nice to see you. All right, good to see you. Nice to see you. Are you ready? Thanks very much. Are you ready for Roy? I am very ready for Roy. Very ready. Tea, coffee? I'll have a coffee, yeah. Coffee would be great. Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing. They haven't had a great run in the Ryder Cup over the last 30 years. So then all they rally around is the flag. Because they started so well, that was my whole point. I came here with a peace offering. Peace offering. My dad said to me after, you had all of Georgia on your left and you had a right. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I'd be in a playoff with Justin Rose.

6:08The last game I went to watch live was that Europa League final in Bilbao. I was like, but I was sitting there going like, well, what did you expect? I mean, it's the 16th and 17th team in the Premier League. Like, of course it was going to be like this. Where does the green jacket hang? Just in my wardrobe. You just said, just throw it around, go for a bevy.

6:35How are you? You OK? I'm good, yeah. Yeah, I just got off the flight and freshened up and here we are. Got beaten by Scotty Scheffler again last night. Oh, yeah? No, we were doing an exhibition in Florida, which was actually good. It was me, Shane Laurie, Luke Donald, Haotong Lee versus Scotty, Sam Burns, Keegan Bradley and Luke Clanton. So good little fun exhibition. Is that the indoor one? No, it was outdoor, but we did relay stuff and 14 Club Challenge. It was sort of more of a skills challenge. But it was good. It was good fun. What are they trying to do with that? Is that more ways to introduce people to golf?

7:14Yeah, I think this is a very slow time of the year for golf. So it's just trying to put stuff on TV that people can watch and get engaged in. And yeah, maybe try to engage a different audience. Sort of what we've done with that TGL with the indoor stuff. That's brilliant, that is. Is that like your baller league equivalent type thing? Well, kind of, yeah, but knowing the level of this. What's the 14 Club Challenge? So basically you hit from 160 yards. So say the person you're up against hits a 9-iron. So then that club's out, so you can't hit a 9-iron. So you have to hit 8-iron. And then that club goes and he has to hit 7 and all the way.

7:51So you're basically having guys trying to hit drivers 160 yards and just hitting shots. So it's a bit of fun. Yeah. He said you got beat by Scott Schaeffler again. No, because he beat me in the Ryder Cup. Yeah, he beat me in the singles of Ryder Cup. I got him a few times this year, though. He struggled, didn't he, in the first part of it? He was struggling. Yeah, he struggled in the team part of it. I think what Europe have done so well over the last few years is we've gotten off to a good start. So, see, the foursomes, the four ball, the first two days, there's 16 points to play for those first two days, and that's where Europe can really get a lead like we did this year.

8:30Why is that? I think it's because we have a lot of continuity within our team. So, same captain, same vice-captains. I feel like there's a lot of turnover in the American team year to year. And, yeah, you know, Luke is very prepared, very... You know, his attention to detail is just... He's very meticulous. Is there more of a togetherness with Europe? I don't know too much about golf, I should say that. But in the past, it's sort of like Tiger Woods can't play with this player or other players. Is that still the case now? It's hard. like from the outside looking in that's what it looks like but i can't you know i don't know what it's like in the american team room um but over the years it would i would say that europe to win the ryder cup have had to be more cohesive and more together because on paper they're they're they're stronger they're deeper you know all the way down the line but we you know we as a team bro outperform our sort of our baseline pretty much every time we go and play which is I mean this year even more so I mean it was absolutely incredible the first two days I was trying to explain to Roy how the first how important the first two days are and this is like you just mentioned how important it is to get the lead yeah get off to a fast you saw that what happened in the end didn't you how important it was to get the lead yeah but the thing is like you do that you know we do all the hard work for two days for you know you know we plan for 16 points over the two days and then you're playing for 12 points on the last day so it's like it's not you know even though a lot of the work is done like as everyone saw like they came back and they came back strong and you know if a couple of guys didn't hold putts at the end there it was it was a different story you know yeah i thought it sounded really close it was uh tough last day i think as well like as a as a sports person it like that 90 minutes where like you've finished your match and you're watching the other guys come in and you have no control of the situation, it's like the worst feeling.

10:25Like it's the worst. You know, like if you're, you know, sitting on the bench and you can't like affect the outcome, like that's the worst feeling I feel like as a player. Roy thought it was one in the first morning. No, first two hours meaning me arguing. He said two hours to me. You've probably seen the clip. I have, I've seen, yeah. No, I was saying you got off to a great start. We did. Absolutely got off to a great start. And you had that momentum with you. That's what I was trying to say to him. Yes. Yeah, but you were still in a great position going into the last day. Again, I'm no expert in golf and I'm watching you.

10:54You had a great start and that's what I was saying that it would have took a lot for you to lose in the last day. That's what I thought. Yeah, no, I... Yeah, and I think we felt that too. Like, it's not as if we went out in that last day and just thought, right, let's just get the job done. It was, let's... You know, they beat us by a record margin in 2021. So our thing was, all right, well, let's beat them by the same scoreline. You know, that was our motivation. I obviously didn't materialise, But if they had the momentum in the first day, it would have been really hard for you to get back. Absolutely, because then they would have had the crowd on their side.

11:27And obviously the crowds were tough and all of that. So, yeah, I think to quieten the crowds early on was a big thing for us. This is what I was saying about how important, in respect of from the first shot to the last, how important it is because you have to try and get that lead. Because if they do get a little bit of momentum, then we would have been in series. That's what I was saying, Ian. That was my point. Shall we show what you were saying? Yeah, let's see what he's saying. This is AI. The Ryder Cup pushed it close, I thought, you know. I thought he pushed it close. That three days was incredible television, that.

12:02Unbelievable. And like I said, for three days. Roy's saying it was over after five. How bad were the Americans, by the way? It was over after two hours. Anybody who's watched it know it wasn't over. It wasn't over. It was over after two hours. Of course it was. And everyone's like, oh, you never know on Sunday. You know something. That last day. Nothing happened on Sunday. That last day. It was over on Friday after they started. Last day, I think only one of them got a couple of hard times. Yeah, because they knew they could lose it, Ian. America could never win after the day. Exactly. After two hours.

12:32I can't believe I'm hearing you. I exaggerated slightly. Because they're much better than singles. Because they're more selfish. And it's all about them. The English players and the European players are used to the foursomes and the four balls. I'm watching at home. Playing for someone else. It was over after two hours. I'm telling you now. I'm not going to argue. I'm not going to argue with you. You should have done a bet with me. I should have done a bet. I would have won the bet. I'd have won the bet. I told you it was over after two hours. No, no, no. I would have won the bet because it was a better sporting event than anything I've seen.

12:58I thought it was one of the highest pressure environments you could put in a sport when you're talking about the putt going in and the sort of atmosphere. So you tell me, right, I'm no expert in golf. I don't play the game, but I watch top-level sport. So you're setting the pressure on these players because some people were shouting. Come and football and go to Leeds or Anfield on a Tuesday night, let me tell you. These guys play in big torrents every week so all of a sudden they're going to be upset by a few yanks. These people are right. I'm not going to go in there because I know you're right.

13:27Right, right. McElroy's won all the big prizes. Do you think he's going to be upset by a few people? It's ridiculous. And then they get upset because of their partners. Let me tell you what you said to your partner. If I was a golfer and my partner was getting abuse I said to my partner my wife or my girlfriend going, just stay at the hotel, love. Is she Italian? Your wife's not here, is she? No, she's not. She loved this, though. She's seen this. Stay at home! You've got a lovely new outfit, you've got a new belt, a new handbag. And then I'm going, I'm getting loads of stick, we'll go home! Rory!

14:01Rory's getting loads of stick. Your wife's got a new handbag, a new belt. She's got to go home, basically. She'll belt you with a handbag. Stare at the hotel. Rory. Because they started so well. That was my whole point. Look, I said before... We had momentum at the start. We knew going to New York that we were going to get a lot of stick, a lot of abuse. Like, I was saying, like, why don't the girls just go into New York City for the week, have a good time, we'll see you on Sunday night. Like, because we knew that was what was going to happen. But in fairness to them, they were like, no, we want to be out there, we want to support you, which is really nice.

14:36What would you have preferred, honestly? You can't just set them shopping. because my look my thing was I just didn't want to see the way it ended up absolutely I just didn't want where if one of the partners heard something that they didn't like that then that affected the mood in the team or in the team room so I just didn't want them to bring that into the team room at all that's a risk right you don't want that and in fairness to all the all the wives and partners they didn't do that you know they yeah I'm sure they heard some stuff that wasn't that wasn't very nice but they you know they but for six months before the competition everyone was saying it's going to be hostile yeah but you didn't think it'd be that hostile when you got I didn't you know look I don't care if people are saying whatever they're saying to me even the first tea announcers shouting fuck you Rory all that stuff right I mean which is nothing compared to what the other stuff we heard and even like Erica would say my wife like she's a grown woman she's strong she can handle that but then when it starts to get into your when you know I've heard stuff about my daughter that like I couldn't even repeat here it's like it's horrific but Look, it's I think it's also like that It's sort of society at the minute as well, but it's that mob mentality where like, you know People see other people doing something and then they think it's okay And then it sort of builds and builds.

15:56Yeah, but my point is all that is disgusting I think it's a disgrace and footballers have had it Jill you yeah Everyone's had it. No one's given it. But you've obviously, the beauty is you've reacted to it well. It's brought you together as a team. Absolutely, yeah. The scores and the way you played. That's the whole point. It'd be different if you went under. You'd think, listen, that's got to everybody. But that's why, I was trying to make the point where you're getting sick and if it's too much for families, the footballers get. Absolutely, yeah. But what it's done for you, the other way, it's brought you all together.

16:22Yeah. And you proved it by that abuse by going, we'll show you how good we are. We'll deal with that nonsense. Yeah. And produce the way you did. Yeah. I mean, you're one of the most voice-y for us people around, obviously, because of your experience and your quality. But, I mean, they were bang out of order, weren't they? They were classless, weren't they, at times? Yeah. Is it the worst you've ever experienced? Oh, by far. I thought... It was bad, man. Yeah. 2016, we played Ryder Cup in Minnesota, and I thought that was... But that, you know, I compare this year to 2016, and, like, 2016 was nothing compared to some of the stuff we heard.

16:54But, look, it's... Again, it's society and it's culture at the minute, and a bit of the mob mentality thing happened. But look, there's 50 ,000 people there and all it takes is 500 of those to be bad eggs and then it skews the atmosphere. Do you blame them or do you blame the actual leadership from the American side? Because the way in which they were acting, sort of whipping it up, I didn't look at the crowd and think you're at fault. I thought some of the actual antics of their captain, for instance, or things like that. You might know the guy, so you might know. Yeah, no, look, Keegan, I've talked about this.

17:28I think you have to play into the home field advantage. Absolutely. But I think whenever, you know, during the competition on Friday night and Saturday night, you know, after the stuff that we heard on the course, I think there was an opportunity for either Keegan or some of the teammates to be like, you know, let's just calm down here. Let's, you know, let's try to play this match in the right spirit. And some of them did that. But obviously, Keegan had the biggest platform of the week of being the captain. And, you know, I feel like he could have said something on that Friday or Saturday night and he didn't.

18:01But in fairness, Sunday was a little bit better. Like it seemed like the rhetoric was sort of calmed down a bit. Do you think that's because they started to come back in and they thought they had a chance? So they started supporting them. I also think as well, like in the Ryder Cup for the first two days, there's 50 ,000 people on four holes. so it's so tight and so packed in and so condensed and then on Sunday there's 12 matches so the crowd is a little more dispersed around the golf course so it's not, again, it doesn't really get into that mob mentality as much And are people drinking more?

18:32Because you're getting a different type of crowd, I'm guessing, coming to that, alcohol must come to that Yeah, absolutely, yeah They're selling alcohol, they were doing these cocktails and they were selling these squeaky ducks They were putting squeaky ducks in the cocktails but then every time I got to the top of my back Oh my gosh. Just squeaking all the time. But yeah, like it was like, that's what, you know, it's, I think it's good for golf to have that. It's a great event to have because it's the only time you have that real partisan sort of, you know, what we feel or what I feel as a football fan or what you felt when you were playing.

19:05Like that's a, you know, the rivalry and that, you know, people really get into that. There's no, you know, it's the reason it's probably the biggest tournament in golf. Stick to Football is brought to you by Arm Clothing Do you enjoy that you're talking about obviously going too far but you actually enjoy that sort of thing that probably we'd have on a weekly basis wouldn't we maybe going to an away ground and there's nothing better than us going to Old Trafford or Goodison and getting a win is that almost more satisfying than probably winning something individually Absolutely I think yeah I would say winning as a team has a very different feeling as winning as an individual you know you can celebrate it more you can yeah look individual I've always said individual wins are in my career always going to be the proudest things that I've you know achieved or what I'm proudest of but I've never had as much fun in my career as I've had it at the Ryder Cup so yeah I mean this was you know that was my eighth Ryder Cup I was definitely the the best one by far what about the difference in pressure when you're doing the team versus the individual because I'm I'm guessing when the individual, if you kind of don't win, you've let yourself down and you can probably take it.

20:17Is there more pressure with the team one? Absolutely. And I probably struggled with that my first two Ryder Cups. You know, I felt like I couldn't play with freedom because I didn't want to make a mistake or let others down. So it honestly took me my third Ryder Cup in 2014 to actually feel like I could play like myself and not have that fear of letting the team down. Because we've never, as an individual sports person, you never really have that. Well, you know the shot you played when you had to address someone in the crowd? Yeah. Was that one of the best shots you've ever played? Have you played a shot under that kind of pressure before?

20:59So they just would not shut up. And I'm over the ball and I'm like, I'm waiting. I'm sort of concentrating on my shot, but I'm also trying to wait for them to quiet and whatever. And I backed off once and then I had to back off again. And that's when I turned around and told them to... Not very politely to shut up. And then when I got back over it, I was like, I better hit a good shot now. And then I hit a good shot and that won the match for us. Amazing shot. But it's hard, right? You know, you say you go to, you know, say you go to Leeds or you go somewhere and you're getting that abuse. Like, we played two matches a day and we're out on the course for 10 hours, basically.

21:43So it's like, it's relentless for that, you know. And that's where, okay, 90 minutes, you can maybe take it. But at some point during that whole day, it's going to get to you and you're going to react. And I wish I hadn't have reacted, but it's just, it's really hard not to. Why do you wish you hadn't reacted? Because to be fair, I think everybody liked it that was watching it. Everyone at home that's watching it from a European perspective is thinking that you're going to have to give them some because they need it. Yeah, I think... It's only you can do that, really. I mean, I don't think anybody else in the team can stand up there and follow up with it behind it.

22:13Yeah, I think for myself, I sort of think, oh, I wish I was mentally stronger to not react, you know, or not as impulsive or not as, you know... Yeah, but look how far you pushed to it. Roy, you need to give me some advice on how not to react. But that's not mentally... Because to be fair, I played... Yeah, I know you're saying. He reacted a lot on the pitch to things that he felt the opposition were doing against us. I didn't think that was a lack of mental strength. I thought that was putting yourself out there to be a leader. I didn't see that as being a lack of mental strength. Yeah, I definitely...

22:45I relish that leadership role within the team. You know, that's something that I feel like I've worked a lot on. But I don't... I think about that and it's like, OK, if I want to lead by example, do I want every other player doing that as well? Probably not. Yeah, but they don't want to see you as a robot. Yeah, no, absolutely. I think people like that when they identify with someone who's not 100 % right in everything they do. They like that, whereas the reaction, I think, you're not robots. But I also think, to be fair, you've got to be exceptional in what you do to be able to give it out. I don't think there are many, you know, when you play in a football team, there are very few players who can give it out to you in training and you'll accept it because basically they have to be exceptional in what they do.

23:26I think that's why you were able to do it. You said, there's a quote here, I don't think we should accept this in golf. I think golf should be held to a higher standard than was seen out there this week. Golf teaches you a very good life lesson. It teaches you etiquette. It teaches you how to play by the rules. It teaches you how to respect people. We didn't see that this week. If that was a football match between United and Liverpool or United and Arsenal, we're carrying that over. And to be fair, we're probably not the best of mates, to be fair, moving forward. Have some of the golfers in the American team, people use their credits up with you where you think, nah, I walk past you, I'm not having you in the future type thing.

24:01Or do you just forget about it and you get on with it? I think there is a coldness for a few weeks or months after the Ryder Cup. But I think because it happens every two years, we see each other every week. We're playing against each other. It's sort of, I feel like a lot of the bad stuff is forgotten. And these are shared experiences. And yeah, we have disagreements. there's things that I probably didn't like that some of the Americans did but you know it's it's you go and speak to them privately do you go and yeah yeah yeah I pull about after do you pull them and say look what you're doing yeah yeah I've I've had chats with them before about things and sound like look I really didn't like what you did there you know whatever it is um yeah like that but that that's why all walks of life like that you know it doesn't just happen with people you're playing against you have to be upfront and honest and at least be open to communicating to people and say look I don't want anything bad between us here and let's just sort it out and move on You mentioned Luke Donald before I'm just trying to think about what does a coach do in golf that you said about was so detailed and so meticulous in terms of his preparation that maybe other coaches haven't done before what is he doing that's giving you that sort of what would be team spirit and ethic and performance level yeah so um he's brought a few guys in um a few i guess consultants within the team to um work with us you know whether it be molinari's uh well the molinari's so eduardo for the stats absolutely but even people outside of our realm so um he's a norwegian guy that did the whole thing about the penalties gear yeah um so he came in and and and spent a bit of time with us.

25:48And then... On what? Like on... On pressure. Just on pressure and on, you know, facing a tough environment and, you know, he took us through, he's got his whole presentation of, you know, he makes us watch penalties and someone that misses and someone that makes and, you know, what do you notice? What are the differences? You know, did they get out of their routine? Did they, you know? So just stuff like that, which was, you know, it's food for thought. I think it resonated with some guys in the team. It probably didn't resonate with others. And then he brought Owen Kiwi guy, the last two Ryder Cups, just in terms of building team culture.

26:31So that was something that was pretty big as well. But I think for Luke and Eduardo, we've really dug into the stats and really dug into the analytics and really tried to pair people together that complement each other. So Tommy and I in the foursomes, for example. That was a new team from when Luke took over in Rome, carried on into Bethpage, and we've been four from four in the foursomes. Four ball is a little different. You could sort of throw, games don't have to complement each other as well, but if you look at, I think the most strategic format of golf is foursomes. and if you look at our foursomes record over the last two Ryder Cups, we've played 16 foursomes matches and I think it's like 13-3.

27:22So we're killing them on that. What are the stats that they're looking at in golf in terms that would enable them to make the right partnership decisions? Because they got that badly wrong, didn't they, I think? Yeah. So I think you've got to break it down to four or five aspects of the game. So, you know, off the tee, approach play, around the green, putting, you know, even looking at like shapes of holes and who hits a draw, who hits a fade, who should hit off each hole, you know, you know, so you're even digging into like, you know, it was pretty apparent because Tommy and I play sort of different games, but we do complement each other very well.

28:00it was very apparent that I should hit off the odd holes you know 1, 3, 5, 7, whatever and then he should hit off the evens and like even we knew that the stronger putter in the duo would be better hitting off the odd holes because they would have more putts on certain holes and they're looking at the same thing I assume but I just think they've really dug into that stats part of it and the results don't lie I mean over the last two Ryder Cups you know we've killed them in the foursomes. You get to the Sunday I mean I think you've played every single round you're playing 10 hours a day is there a massive fatigue element?

28:38Is it mental fatigue or physical or both? For me that week it was mental I felt okay I'd say for the front nine on Sunday and then I just I just felt like I hit a wall and it's What does that look like? I completely lost the feeling of my swing so I felt and righty old like I was trying to hit I was trying no no but like you know as as someone that plays a bit I was trying to hit like say five yard fades I was trying to hit it left or right and the ball was coming out and curving 15 yards right to left and I was just like what is like I just completely lost like just completely how's that happen to you it hasn't happened to me like that that happens to me in Topgolf all the time but I you know I you know you're used to seeing the ball come out in a certain window a certain shape a certain trajectory and this I was like I don't and I felt like I was making a swing to hit a feed and it just was not and then at that point I just had to play with it because I couldn't you know you have to just sort of manage yourself and try to and I like I didn't play great against Scotty on that Sunday but I hung in there and held a couple putts when I needed to and got him to the last but yeah that's what it that's what it When you were saying you felt that if we're watching at home with people who really watch golf would they be able to you're not right, you don't look right, but is that something you just know yourself?

29:59No, I think you just know yourself. I'd say people would have maybe thought I looked tired, but I don't think they would have saw that I was completely out of sync. Yeah, it's a long week. You're getting to the golf course at half four in the morning. You're not getting back to the hotel until half eight, nine o 'clock at night. And the turnaround, the Friday night of the Ryder Cup is like the toughest turnaround of the year because you've just played 36 holes. You get, you know, whatever, maybe get six hours of sleep and then you're back up again at four out to the golf course, play another 36.

30:35Four in the morning to go out. Yeah, because we're teeing off at seven. So I like to get to the golf course two and a half to three hours before. I do my warm up in the gym. I do my, you know, you do your routine to get ready. So if you're teeing off at seven or 7.15, yeah, I'm there at half four. Will you do stuff with Tommy then or would you still do individual? Still do individual. I think because we're so used to doing what we do week in, week out as individuals, we say you have to do whatever it is to get yourself in the right place to go out there and play. Tommy and I don't do things together every week, so it's going to be a bit different.

31:16But yeah, our caddies are chatting and looking at the pin positions and talking about strategy, doing all that. But yeah, we do our own warm-ups, our own routines, but it means that when we get to the first tee, we're ready. That's the technical stuff, Rory. So it's like if it's two and a half together, two strikers, two midfielders, there's also then that personality with somebody going, yeah, we get each other. Yeah, exactly. It's not all technical stuff. No, it's not. Chemistry with each other, yeah. Absolutely, and I think in the foursomes, you sort of have to go with the technical stuff first and the chemistry a little bit, but you can at least try to build a little bit of chemistry, even if the guys don't know each other that well or don't spend a lot of time together.

31:53But the four ball is probably more about chemistry than it is the stats and the analytics. Because you're playing your own ball and you can really just play your own game if you want to. So it's just about who you get along with. Stick to Football is brought to you by Arn Clothing. Super 6 are giving you the chance to win£200 ,000 and a brand new Audi A5 during January. We're in January. We're in January now? Yeah, we're in January now. This month, Super 6 are giving away a brand new car. Wow. So Super 6 wants to know, what was the first car you ever bought? Peugeot 106, four gears. Peugeot 105.

32:32Was there a Peugeot 105? I'm older. I'm older. Was there a Peugeot 105? It was 106 then. Yeah, 106. Exactly, like a little... Four gears? Yeah, a little... Yeah, yeah. I loved it. Ford Ryan. Ford Ryan. Honda Concerto. Oh. Concerto. Vauxhall Viva. Very nice. I've never even heard of them cars. Did any of you ever get given cars as players and stuff? Yeah, I got a Accord. I got a Mini Metro from Paris, my first car. Mini Metro? Wow. I loved it. Yeah. Roy got a Ferrari. Did you? It's always denied that you ever owned a Ferrari. Did you ever own a Ferrari? Oh!

33:16I actually rang Bex up about this. I said, did Roy own a Ferrari? I think so, but I'm not sure. but none of us can pin it. I can't see him driving it. Well, there's the clue. None of you can pinpoint what car. You surely remember it. You know what I mean? I think he came in for three days, got a bit of stick and never came in again, but I can't pin it. I just... You know what I love about it? Look, you're a man of honesty, integrity and honour. Did you own ever in your life a Ferrari? Never. Not a Ferrari kind of guy. Have you drove one before? Yeah. He's getting round the word, isn't he? If I drove one, you know, I've had to drive off.

33:49I think Giggs had one, didn't he? Yeah. Giggs had one, didn't he? Was it that long one? Dwight had one. Dwight York had one. A few of the lads had that, though. Didn't you get a car allowance, but you didn't necessarily have to buy a car? Yeah. There was a lot of tax involved. Did you just take the money? There was a lot of tax involved. They want to give you a car, but there's a lot of tax involved. What's the best car you've ever owned? Oh, I had... Oh, what was it? You know, the Mercedes SLK. I loved that car. You know, the two-seater. it was so quick obviously I stuck to the speaker the other one I had once do you remember the S63 AMG beautiful the big S class but with the AMG 63 engine I got given that for like six months but you were laid for the bus one time in that honestly that car he was laid for the bus was it he was laid for the bus no he was laid for the bus I was laid for the bus once ever in my life and he jumped on the bus he had that car and he left the car running just to get on the bus in time just to get on the bus in time I can't get nicked I don't care I can't be late for the bus.

34:50I was never late. Mercedes SL55. SL55? SL55. Brilliant car. Similar car to the... That's the most sporty one. Sporty one, two-door. I've never had a Mercedes. Oh, I love Mercedes. I think you had the S63. I did. No, not the C63, Gary. What did you have? Your level. Did you have the 55? No, I think mine was just 500. It's a beautiful car. I had a Range Rover's nice car. We've all said S-Class. Yeah, I'd agree with that. S-Class. He's still going at S-Class. Angel? You know the S-Class? It's true. You know the S-Class two-door S500? Oh, beautiful. Hey, stop doing them. Best car. If they had that car.

35:27Did they still do that car that I just said I had, like, 20 years ago? Yeah, I think they said. Which one is it? The S-63 AMG. No, but they do that, but different models. They do a S-63. Is that the four-door? No, I still think they do. No, the four-door. They said do them. Sure they do. Yeah. They do the four-door, not the two-door. If they've done the two-door. Never had one. Probably rain. I used to just get rain drovers all the time. I've got whatever I've got now, a Porsche Jeep. That's nice, yeah? Yeah, that's a nice car now. Get in with them, stick in with them. What about yours? Honda Jazz.

35:57Love it. Doesn't let me down. So if you fancy a brand new car and plenty of spending money, it's time to play Super 6. Just predict six correct scores and it's yours. Head over to the Super 6 app to get involved. 18 plus TNCs apply.

36:18Take us back to that Sunday afternoon, you're playing in the back nine, it's something that's never happened to you before, and you look into it, a five yard fade, but it's basically drawing 15 yards. Have you looked back at the videos of your shots to work out what actually you were doing that made you do that differently? Yeah, so it's the same thing. So from the top of the boxing, my arms get behind me, so the club gets behind me, so the club's coming from more of an inside path, and then that's what creates that. But my feel, I feel like I'm turning on top of it. I don't feel like my arms are getting behind me and the thing's still doing that.

36:51So it's always the same technical flaw, I would say, or the bad habit that I get into. But no matter what I tried to do to get out of it, I just couldn't. Everything just kept doing that. Going to that Sunday afternoon, and I'm driving back from a football match it was, but there was a point where I thought, they're going to blow this. Obviously, you're watching it. Is there a point where you think we're in trouble here? Are you still? Yeah. I said it was over on a Friday morning, Gary. You're not listening. I think there's always, look, even, you know, we won in Rome pretty easily, but I felt like there was still a 60 to 90 minute period in Rome where you're like, oh, if a couple matches don't go the way we think they're going to go, this could get pretty tight.

37:32So, yeah, Sunday at Bethpage, there was like a 90 minute window where it seemed like every, it wasn't like, it's not as if the Americans were like winning by big margins. It was like everyone was going up the last and every time the American would win that last hole. They made some big posts. And it was just like, we just needed to break that somehow. And then, you know, in fairness, the guys coming in, you know, they did a great job. Obviously, Shane hole in the winning, or the putt to retain, Tyrell winning his match. Bob McIntyre was out there fighting as well. So we put the Burley boys at the end to try to get the job done.

38:11You talk about pressure, but the Americans found that tough, didn't they? I mean, the New York crowd, I mean, it was supposed to be something of an advantage for them, but it turned out to be a nightmare for them, didn't it? I think it was a negative for them because it turned... They were trying to control their own crowd, you know? They couldn't even... You know, and it wasn't... They weren't getting cheered on by their crowd. All they were hearing was just, you know, shouts against us. So even when I said this after, even when I played Scotty Scheffler on the Sunday, I probably heard my name 10 more times, 10 times more than I heard Scotty's because it was always just going at me and not really supporting him.

38:51So it didn't really help them. It wasn't as if they were getting encouragement at all. It was just the crowd were just on us. But their reactions to it also, I mean, I don't know if it's the same in every single sport, but if you're emotional going into a game, in which they were, they were emotionally getting pumped up. Normally that doesn't work, does it, in an elite performance environment? When you're fired up and you're too tense and you're too emotional. I think, look, for them, they haven't had a great run in the Ryder Cup over the last 30 years. And we've been able to rally around a lot of our past players.

39:28So, like, Seve is still a big, like, sort of... Inspirational. Yeah, a focal point for us. They don't really have that. So then all they rally around is the flag and it sort of turns a little bit like militaristic and a bit of like, you know, it's very patriotic. Yeah, which is great. Like I absolutely agree, but it's, they rally around the, they have no, it doesn't seem like they have anything else to rally around, if that makes sense. You know, like they can't look to past players or bring past players in that have had a lot of success at the Ryder Cup because there hasn't been for so long. So I think that's where we have an inbuilt advantage where, because we've had this success for the last 30 years, we can focus on other things rather than just like...

40:14It's deeper. It's a bit shallow there, that sort of idea that they're all going to come together. Because they don't look like a team, do they? I mean, you mentioned it before. They don't look like a collective, whereas the Europeans look like... You look like you enjoy being with each other. There's an element of them almost being forced together a little bit. Yeah. I mean, look, again, you'd have to... everything that I've heard them say, they would say the opposite, that we're the closest team ever and we all feel really good about what we did. But there is, and there's also something about, even when Europe have went into Ryder Cups as the favourite, we always still feel like the underdog because it's big, mighty America.

40:50We've always tried to lean into that underdog role because we think that's when we play our best. What do them past players do for you? Are they just there if you want to speak to them or do they do like a team talk or anything? Yes. I think it's so important, especially we talk about football and I think some teams have kind of lost that history of the club. So I think that's like an important thing that you say, like what do they do? Yeah, so Paul McGinley was, so he was the captain in 2014. So he was a consultant for us this year. And then on the Wednesday night, yeah, we have a lot of the past captains come in and they don't even have to do like a talk, but just spend time with us.

41:30tell stories so colin montgomery sam torrance um you had uh bernard gallagher um you know a lot of the past captains just come in and spend time with the team because we you know we want them to feel involved as well because we want them to feel like they're still a part of it um but then it's great you know the younger guys you know you know hearing sam torrance tell stories about rider cups in the 80s and you know that's that's that's cool and then I think that links us back to previous teams and previous generations and that's one of the things that um we started a few years ago was we all got a number so I'm I'm 144 um but every European Ryder Cup player now has a number of what number they were you know to represent Europe and that's just something that you know has never been done in golf before but it really makes you feel a part of this lineage you know and we talk about trying to leave the leave the the team in a better place than where you find it for the next generation and you know that all comes from that team culture and that team building stuff and more of an identity maybe yeah a lot more of an identity yeah yeah yeah and a meaning around what the badge is yeah stick to football is brought to you by arm clothing the last time you came on here we asked you what your sort of biggest ambition left was and basically you went on and did it yeah the Masters which is just the incredible tournament just talk to us about that and how big a moment that was for you how did you sleep the night after you must have slept can I do one thing first though because I'm the Masters yeah I came here with a peace offering offering yes just to clear any well done Rory you're the bigger man Rory Nice one.

43:13Nice one. I've had this in. Got some cash for me. This is a flag from the Masters. Wow. Wow. There you go. See? I've got to be nasty. We have to abuse you to get one, Rory. Let me see. Jeez. That's so lovely. Oh, wow. That's so lovely. That's amazing. That is amazing. I can't say I'm not jealous. No. Everyone else, you're all going to get one. Nice one, Rory. That's fine. What's it say, Rory? That's incredible. Let me read it. OK, thanks for all the great memories watching United over the years. Rory McIlroy, Masters champion and extraordinary player of golf, ever, ever to live. No, I don't know.

43:54I don't like that. Brilliant. That's brilliant. You know what, Rory, with the Masters, because obviously I watched it from the start to the finish and obviously that last day, I can't imagine how you would have felt waking up that day because it could happen this day. So what are you thinking when you wake up there? Because you know all the talk about the Masters. Can he do it? The Grand Slam. Look, it felt like it was then or never. And it probably wasn't, even if I didn't go on to win. But it would have been one more bad memory and more scar tissue building up there for me. And trying to do something for so long.

44:36So, you know, my best chance was 14 years ago in 2011. And, you know, I've been close since. I finished second. I've played in final groups. But I've just never been able to quite figure it out. Was there anything on this day that made you think, well, this might be it? I felt like I was playing as good as I ever have. You know, I was confident. I came in to the Masters. I'd won two big events leading up to it. I won at Pebble Beach, I won the players in a playoff. So I had come through recent pressure situations and I'd gotten through them. So that's why I felt just more comfortable with where I was.

45:23And those recent memories, I could draw upon a little bit. Were you worried that you might never get there, that you'd have that end of your career which is unbelievable, but you've got that but yeah but he never but he never yeah and i yeah and everyone used to ask me like oh do you feel like your career would be complete without the masters and i'd be like yeah you know i think i'd be happy but oh there's always that yeah but like if i didn't yeah um look it's the what it's you know it was the um you know it was the first grand slam in 25 years and I think what I didn't help myself was I put it out there that this is what I want.

46:07This is what I want to achieve. And that puts more pressure on you from the outside. But honestly, going into that day, never in my wildest dreams did I think that I'd be in a playoff with Justin Rose. Rosie played great that day. I thought it was really just going to be between me and Bryson. It obviously didn't pan out that way, but I thought that Bryson was going to be my biggest obstacle to doing it. You know the 13th? You know the shot on the 13th? I remember it well. For me, obviously watching from the start of the morning, when you'd done that, what happened with that shot? Because I know you mentioned about what happened.

46:46Yeah, so a lot of people's masters have been won and lost at the 12th hole, the hole before, and I got through that unscathed, hit it on the middle of the green, two-putted, did what I needed to do, moved on to the next. And I said to my caddy Harry, walking up to the 13th tee, like usually it's a, you know, you see people go for that green and two and you can make it. But I said to him, what do you think about playing this as a three shotter? So it was the first time I was thinking a little bit defensively. Right. Why did you do that? Because you'd have a strong... I'd had a four shot lead. You just saw...

47:15I just saw... You know, play defensive. Play... It's a power five, isn't it? Yeah, I play smart more so than defensive. But I was like, let's just take a big number out of play is what I was thinking. Yeah. So I usually hit driver off that tee. I hit three wood just to get it in play. And I did and hit a good layup with a knee and iron and left myself a pretty good number. You know, you're always trying to leave yourself like yardages that you're comfortable with and you like. But when I got down there, it had settled. There's like these drainage sort of hollows by the left side of the fairway.

47:50And it was on the upslope of one of those. and usually when you're hitting wedge shots off an upslope with the loft of the club, the ball comes out left. So I was trying to guard against that a little bit. So I give myself maybe a yard or two of like a margin for error on the right side of the pin. And I just, I, yeah, I got ahead of it, made a bad swing. And I mean, I had, you know, my dad said to me after you had all of Georgia on your left and you hit it right. but you know what was your thinking what was your thinking when that happened I thought I hit a similar wedge shot at the US Open in 2023 that lost me the US Open and that's what I thought I was like I've done it again like you idiot I've done it again so you know obviously I I made a 7 there and that was but I still looked up at the big leaderboard I still had the lead so I was like okay you still have the lead you've got 5 more holes to go you've got another par 5 like you know you can everything's okay you know it wasn't quite panic stations but it was it was close enough is that back nine at the masters it must be that's that's a real thing then isn't it just basically sort of it's tuned people up hasn't it it has yeah yeah it has i mean i you yeah over the years what is it what is it about that back nine that tournament that i think because we go back to the same course every year everyone has all these memories so like you remember everything that's happened even if it's not to you you know you remember all the shots and you remember faldo hitting the three iron into 13 or you know you you you remember tiger chipping in on 16 like you remember all these shots so like i just think the course is more in your head than at other golf courses because we just we don't you know especially at the major championships we don't go back to the same course every year so it just you're you know again like the reason that i started to play defensive on 13 is because I remember what I've done on 13 before and I've hit it in that creek too many times or up in those azaleas you know so it just it plays with your head a bit once it was it tone what what hole was it when Rory hit the greatest shot ever in the world 15th Rory when you had to bend it like 70 yards what was that about um but Rory that shot though how much did you have to turn it around now so I didn't yeah I had to turn it maybe 30 yards yes but if I if if I didn't turn it enough it would have went into the right bunker which actually wasn't a bad miss so like it was still it was it was an incredible shot but I knew I had a little bit of a bail out all I needed to do was focus on hitting it you know making sure I struck it well so that would get over the water that was the biggest thing but you know it came out it came out perfect um and yeah that that was really that that was the shot that turned it around that got some momentum again that helped me go on to um what a sigh of relief when that one hit the green yeah and again i hit a great shot into that hole the day before i had a six iron in on saturday so you know i had again like all the memories of the shots that you've had there and like it just you know it it does something and it plays on your mind a lot more than other places but yeah that That was, you know, that'll go down as the greatest shot.

51:11No matter what I do going forward, that'll probably be the greatest shot. Yeah, I jumped up. I was out of the city. You said before about ten years before, you remember the shot that it cost you at the tournament. How often when you're going round do you sort of go back to shots? Do you understand what I mean? You've got a memory of shots and courses. You do. I mean, you try to remember the good ones. and you try to get rid of the bad ones, but sometimes the bad ones pop into your head every now and again too. But yeah, you've got a database of all the shots that you've hit. I don't know if it's just golfers.

51:45I'm sure it's other sports people or athletes as well. You remember certain things you've done. You probably remember a pass that you've played or a goal that you scored or whatever it is. Yeah, there's certain grounds you go to if you're more comfortable, don't you? There's football grounds. Or the grounds you struggle at, yeah. Yeah, I don't know what that is or what that feeling is. But yeah, you do, you have all these memories built up and especially if you do go back to the same venues, you're always sort of... Does your caddy come in, Roddy? Sometimes he just says, snap out of it or give you a little bit of...

52:19Yeah, he did. I mean, after I had a putt from five feet to win in regulation and Harry was great, he basically said to me, look, when we got here on Monday, you would have taken a play. So that was an easy reset for me. But, yeah, that's a caddy's job is to know when to say something, know when not to say something. And that's a sort of delicate balance that they have to get. You put that green jacket on, which is obviously a special moment, and I think your quote is saying that you basically just wanted to share it with your parents. What was that like? It was amazing. I've tried everything in the last 15 years to win the Masters.

53:04So, you know, like turned up early, turned up late, you know, like had my parents, haven't had my parents, told my wife to stay away. So I mean, just like I have tried everything, but my parents weren't there. And the reason was they were moving house. So they were back home in Northern Ireland. They were moving house. And I just, you know, yeah, like the journey that I've been on and I'm an only child. So I feel like everyone has a close relationship with their parents, but mine just feels just that bit closer. That was the one thing. The first thing I wanted to do when I won was ring my mom and dad, you know, and that's like, that's, you know, they've, they sacrificed so much for me.

53:48and yeah, it was like, I got home on the Wednesday and then just to see, you know, and as well, like I don't, it's funny, like with my dad, I don't get very emotional, but like anytime I see my mom, I just like, just go to pieces. So that was, that was amazing. And yeah, you know, I think as well, as you get older and your parents get older, you know, you realize they're not going to be around forever. And I was just, I think I was just so glad that I was able to do it and they were able to see it. that was the big thing where does the green jacket hang? just in my wardrobe just like do you have to bring it back there or have they got one there?

54:27no so you've got to bring it back so the champion the only person that's allowed to bring the green jacket off the premises is the champion for a year so I've enjoyed it I've enjoyed bringing it around the world so you don't get to keep the green jacket? no it stays in the club So it stays in your locker. You should have worn it today. Jill? Yeah. But I've done, you know, I played in India a few weeks ago and it was the first time a green jacket was in India. Wow. Brought it down to Australia. I mean, I've brought it around the globe. And I wore it on Halloween. My daughter wanted to be Galinda from Wicked.

55:06So I was like, well, I'll be the Wizard of Oz. So. So cool. Is there certain things people can't touch? No one else can put it on. Yeah, there's a few. It is, yeah, you have to, you know, you have to sign a legal document to take it off, you know, to take it out of the club. And there's do's and don'ts with it. You have to wear, you know. Love that Wizard of Oz. Yeah, you have to wear, like, a certain shirt and you have to wear a club tie and certain trousers. You only wear, like, dress shoes. You can't wear trainers. You know, it's just, it's very... You just throw it on, go for a bivvy. Oh, God.

55:42I'm walking going out. That's so funny. They don't mess around at Augusta, do they, with rules? No, they are, you know. But that's why, that's what makes it such a great place. It's like they know who they are and they, you know, they stick to it. And it's also one of the reasons that they have one of the best brands in sport. It's because they are so meticulous and they do everything in such a way that, yeah. And you can play now because you've won it. you could play literally forever more is that right? Yeah and you can invite anyone like you know so

56:25you get you don't get members you don't become a member of the club but you get certain members privileges at some points throughout the year so actually I was there last week and it was the first time I stayed on the golf course like on my own which was which was pretty cool did you walk around and just like take it in yeah so it was the first time you know you get so there's the champions locker room upstairs that you get to go in and um I saw that for the first time and I shared it's a pretty small place so it's got to the point where you have to share your locker with people um so I share with Ben Hogan and um and Ray Floyd so it's pretty pretty cool but you go up there and but um It is, it's a different feeling when you go back and you've won there.

57:10It's like, you know, you feel like you... I feel like when you're not a champion, you get on, it's like you don't quite belong. Because is there a room that only the champions going where people... I've just got going. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, champions locker room, yeah. Would you say that to someone like, I can't stop? Ah, the amount of times that people have reminded me. I'm like, oh, I'm just going to go get my green jacket for dinner. I'm like, great. Well, you've joined the company, the Grand Slams, of Gene Sarazin, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. And that is an incredible list, eh?

57:45That's the only one? The only six players ever to have done the Grand Slam. Yeah. Yeah. Insane. Yeah, you know, like, you sort of, like, even now, like, you hear those names and feel like you get imposter syndrome. You're like, I'm not supposed to be on that list. But it is. it's incredible and it's cool as well like there's six I've done there's four living and yeah we're all the one thing I want to do is I want to get the four of us that are living Jack, Gary, Tiger myself and do a picture at Augusta next year with their green jackets on yeah that's pretty cool I need an other I need an other I'm just proud that one of my mates is in a Masters champion thank you thank you you've cemented your place on the course in history but i think one of the things that impressed us massively last time was that obviously the live golf thing was going on and you've been massively outspoken you've turned down you didn't quite tell us what the number was that you've been offered but it was a ridiculous amount of money yeah but your reputation through turning that down and actually sticking with the pga is going to obviously mean that your reputation off the course is going to be cemented as well where are you at with that now because you were quite outspoken it last time.

58:59You're almost like a pioneer on it, really. Yeah, look, I still, I don't like what it's done to our game because it's created this massive fracture. But it's, you know, and I said on this podcast last time that maybe I was a bit too judgmental of the guys that went because not everyone is in the same position that I'm in. So, you know, you get, you know, offered double the money to do the same job. Sort of hard to turn down. But it just hasn't, I think the thing is with Liv is hasn't really resonated with people. I think there's some good elements to it, but it just hasn't, you know, it... Captured the imagination.

59:39Yeah, I don't know. You know, and like I've watched a little bit of it and it's just, it's not, I don't know. And maybe it's just I'm too much of a traditionalist to get it, but it just doesn't seem to have anything. Like they were coming into the game saying, we're going to be different, we're going to be this, we're going to be that. And it's not, you know, even the fact they've now switched from 54 holes to 72 holes to get world ranking points. So it's like you're just doing what everyone else is doing. So what's different, you know, apart from the money? And what is the way forward now? Because obviously a deal I don't think is still being reached.

1:00:14They were sort of entering the decisions last time, weren't they? It was, I think, I'd say earlier this year it was close, but they never quite got there. What does close look like in that sense of how it comes together? how does it knit together? Look, I think at the end of the day, they just want a seat at the table. So how do you give them a seat at the table and try to mend the fracture? But still, it's hard. You're trying to give everyone a win. But I think to give everyone a win, everyone's going to feel like they've lost. So that's the hard thing. But they've spent so much. I think about this.

1:00:53like they've spent billions on live like the you know pif and sorry and then i look at what they've done with newcastle for example and they've been and this is the other thing i've thought about there's there's there's financial regulations around football right so it's not as if they can just go out and spend five billion and do you know but in golf they could so but i just think like that i think what they've done in newcastle and you know they've done they've i would say they've done a great job from where Newcastle were to then you know where they are now Sunderland still beat them I know I know I know but you know I think if they had just approached the gulf in a similar way we wouldn't be at this point but we are and it's hard you know but the thing that it's done is it's elevated the majors and it's elevated the Ryder Cup because it's only four or five times a year you see all the best players playing together which is I think for golf to be relevant, I think we need the best players together more often than that.

1:01:55You've obviously got officials that are obviously in each organisation who obviously are probably standing their ground. Is it, could someone like yourself, with maybe another couple of players who've got that prominence and that profile, could you influence it? Or is it a case of, no, that's political? I've tried. I was on the board of the PGA Tour. I've tried and it just hasn't. I'd say the only... Why can't you cut through? Why can't you land it with them? The PGA Tour is like a members organization. So the players, it's not just me, but all of the players, we have the final vote on anything that happens.

1:02:31So as a collective body, if the tour, like the executives of the tour, decide something that the membership feel is detrimental to them, they're never going to pass it. Which I think whenever the PGA Tour was set up as a members organization, It was a good thing, but I'm sure in 1968 when they set it up, they never envisioned this thing happening. So it's a structural thing. It is a structural thing. I think that's been a part of it. And then also, I think not really having dialogue with the Saudis for a while was a big, I think that they felt disrespected. so then they dug in and stood their ground and that's sort of where we are.

1:03:19I think that's eased off a little bit now but it's still hard to see any sort of resolution. Final question on it. Do you think the game comes back together in the next two or three years or do you think there's going to be a long-term fracture? I think it does. Look, again, I don't know but if Liv is failing to capture the imagination and they've spent so much money on this venture and it isn't making a return for them, I don't know how much longer they can keep it going. Would you accept the players back into the tour as they want to come back in or do you think there is a consequence of joining?

1:04:01I think they've already paid their... I mean, they've made the money, but they've paid their consequence in terms of... You talk about the reputation and some of the things that they've lost by going over there. If it made the overall tour stronger to have Bryson DeChambeau back and whoever else, I would be OK with it. But again, it's not just me. And I recognise that not everyone's in my position. So, you know, it would be up to the collective grip of PGA Tour members to make that decision. You're in Manchester today and you've got us to film on a Thursday, which is unbelievable to get us to film on a Thursday, by the way.

1:04:42that's twice you've moved our filming day by the way it's unbelievable a Monday and a Thursday so you're at the Sports Personality of the Year tonight we obviously know whether you've won it or not and there's a public vote but how big would that be and you're with a chance you're the favourite yeah look I was the favourite in 2014 as well and a Formula One driver beat me so I just hope it's not exactly I even heard Lando mention that Rory's got to get I don't know. So, look, I grew up watching it. It was a big night of the year. And so many greats of British sport have won it over the years. And, yeah, I would love to.

1:05:22I would be really proud to have my name on that trophy. And I know you're a big United fan. So final question before we go and do a little bit in there. Where are you at with United at the moment? I know you're a big fan. it's better it's you know like I I was saying outside before I came in here the last game I went to watch like live was that Europa League final in Bilbao and I was like but I was sitting there going like well what did you expect I mean it's the 16th and 17th team in the Premier League like of course it was going to be like this but it just it's better like I think they look good going forward they're still fragile at the back I mean conceding four goals at home on Monday

1:06:09I'm much more optimistic than I would have been 12 months ago, but I still think there's a lot of work to be done. We have guests in here every couple of weeks, but we never have it as full as this. Which, to be fair, tells you how big you are, and I think they're all going to follow us through because we're going to go and play some golf in there. All right, okay. We are. Do you know those little putts that he said are really easy, by the way? We're going to find out. I said her easy for the top guy. Stick to Football is brought to you by Arn Clothing. Right, it's our last thing of the year. We've come into the golf simulator, and you mentioned back through there, Rory, that the hole that people normally struggle on is the 12th at Augusta, and that's where it normally starts to fall apart.

1:06:59So this par three, 156 yards. Just tell us a little bit about it first, and then we're all going to have a nearest the pin shot. Yeah, so the hard thing is it's a really narrow green or skinny green depth-wise. How narrow? You've probably got... 15, 20? I was going to say like a five... Probably a five-yard square to land it in. Five-yard square? Yeah, so 15 feet sort of. Or else it falls off back or forth. Yeah, exactly. It goes over the back of the green. Everyone airs long. so and it was it's actually for a right-hander it's a harder shot because if you're going to the right pin and you come out of it usually the shots that go right for a right-hander end up short right but then because the front of the green the front left of the green is shorter if you pull it it goes long it's actually a much easier hole for a left-hander right so because if you pull it it goes longer and it gets to the green for that right pin so it's i might struggle Is it the toughest hole on the course?

1:07:59It's the trickiest. It's the shortest par three, but it's like the wind swirls in that little bit. So why are we doing the trickiest one? Well, I mean, it's... Trying to test you. We don't have to contend with the wind. So there's a couple of things we're going to do. We're going to basically all have one shot each at it. I think, Rory, you can go and coach each player, to be fair, and then you're going to finish. But then I think we just need to see you at a drive to finish, to be fair. Okay. Is that okay? Sure. Who's going first? Jill? Yeah, go on then. Jill, do you think? All right. Do you know what you'd like?

1:08:30Are you going to have to make Fennel pride here? No, Jill. Oh, okay. It's up to you. I'll take this one. Okay. Is that the right? Looks all right? That looks okay. You've got to tee it up as well. Wait, is it just off there? No, you can tee it up. You can tee it up. Oh, yeah. Okay. You set it up and I'll whack it. Okay, there you go. I trust you. Jill, have you played before? I've been in the driving range

1:08:55more pressure now than Rory when he was putting, wasn't he, for the bastards. That's it. If I miss the ball, can I go again? Absolutely. Take as many goes as you want. Oh! Where is going? That's all right, I mean... It's not very far, though, is it? That's OK. Not bad, Jill. OK, all right. Go on, Cara. Yeah, remember... How old was you then, though, Rory? How old would you be? 19. Do you know what? I was trying to play smart, take a bit off it. Well, you played fast. That club's going to come out of his hand. I only got 80. I just want to hit it straight. 156. Seven, I think. Yeah. Nice technique, Jamie.

1:09:32I like it. Shot. You scammed it. It didn't register. Missed it. Have a good go, Cara. Pretend it's Salah.

1:09:48Right, keep me head down. Nearly. I think it's... I think it's... It's your machine! It's not registering. Why is it not registering? Were they topped? They might have been, yeah. Top shot. You good with that, yeah? I don't know, you tell me. Yeah, I mean, it's a bit high for that, aren't you? Let me give... That's probably not... We're always going to take it up when we've done this, because he's got to come with me. Ooh! Okay. That was decent. Seven. Two. Four. All right, you know, it was... Made up, yeah. Made up, didn't he? Good strategy. Good strategy. Have another go in a sec. Nice one. When everyone...

1:10:31Where's this... Oh, jeez. What's that? You got seven iron. Six. Is that right? Oh, God. Yes, Gary. There you go. Go on. In the practice swing. He looks all right in the practice swing. Oh, no. Oh, water. Oh! That is so bad. Jeez, someone has to get it over the water. That is so bad. Oh, my gosh. Roy wants one more. Of course he does. Oh, off the deck. Righty's got his proper shoes. Righty's got his proper shoes.

1:11:01His cold shoes. Oh no! I'm going good. Do you not want to use a tee? I don't feel like the tee is quite high. I just think I went too quick there. All right. That's what she said.

1:11:19Roy It's Christmas There you go That's better Go Walter Rory you're on Rory you're on Alright Jeez Pressure I always sing I'll take my shirt off Oh Yeah I'm like I don't I'm like I think so What you got an 8? I think so Yeah It would usually be a 9 but actually with these clubs it is a nine. These go far. Righties is cutting. He's like... Look at me, look at his jumper and everything. He's going through his pockets.

1:12:03Yes! Oh no. Coming round. Oh no. Coming round. Left. Left. Sit! Oh, okay. That's not bad. Half the ground. Half the ground. Not bad. Alright, come on Gary. Come on, Gal. Come on, Ned. Is that too high, that? Um... Tea time.

1:12:23Yes! Yes! Oh, go! There we go! Let's go! Get over! Oh, sit! Sit! Oh, it's too far! Oh, too far. 182. 182! 182! Can you switch the hole so we can see a driver for Rory? Yeah. Yeah, there we go. Oh, yeah. I should have hit driver here. Do you use machines, Roy? Do you ever use them or not? I do, yeah. I've got a simulator at home, yeah. Oh. Yeah. Yeah, it's good, like, if you just... Yeah, just for a little bit of practice, but... Yeah, sometimes. So what's this one got to do, Roy? I got to hit, like, a little draw, yeah. So start it... Usually try to start it at this tallest tree. And then just have a little bit of a draw.

1:13:03This is amazing. See if I can do it. This is so good. This is so cool.

1:13:10Wowzers! Here it comes. Yeah, there you go. Oh my God, that was ridiculous. It's gone over those as well. Would you be happy with that, Rory? That's pretty good, yeah. I'd be happy with that. 275. Wow. Well done, Rory. There you go. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Cheers, thank you. Thanks for having me. Thank you so much. Yeah, cheers, thanks. Cheers. That was so good. Thanks very much, good to see you. Thank you. Good luck tonight. Tone, cheers. Thank you. I'm going to stay here for the day now. I'm going to stay here for the day.