While Rory McIlroy was one of just two members of Europe’s 2025 Ryder Cup team to have previously won the event on American soil, there is no question that the Northern Irishman went to Bethpage Black feeling that he had a point to prove.

Rory McIlroy certainly played his part in Europe’s incredible comeback at the 2012 Ryder Cup. Only Ian Poulter contributed more than the three points McIlroy won that week at Medinah.

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He was outstanding in defeat at Hazeltine in 2016, thriving in much more of a senior role among the European team. But few will forget seeing McIlroy in tears as a record loss loomed at Whistling Straits five years later.

With that, it was no surprise that McIlroy pinpointed winning the 2025 Ryder Cup as one of the big goals for the remainder of his career.

Rory McIlroy realised a dream with Europe’s Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage Black

McIlroy was certainly made to suffer for his Ryder Cup triumph in New York. The 36-year-old was subjected to relentless heckling across the week.

It was said that what McIlroy faced was significantly worse than the abuse Colin Montgomerie dealt with at Brookline in 1999.

Ultimately, Europe just about got across the line. McIlroy, meanwhile, contributed 3.5 points for the visitors.

It was clearly an important victory for his career. McIlroy was only 23 at Medinah, and had the likes of Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Sergio Garcia taking on the senior roles in Chicago.

So much has changed for the five-time major champion since then. So it probably would have felt like something was missing had he not won a second Ryder Cup in America.

And perhaps comments the world number two has made this week sums up just how important McIlroy felt that 2025 victory was for his legacy.

McIlroy appears to have changed his tune on Jon Rahm

One of the turning points in McIlroy’s war of words with LIV Golf came in December 2023 when the league announced the signing of Jon Rahm.

It looked set to be a pivotal moment in the game’s civil war. It was a sign that LIV had the potential to keep signing the PGA Tour‘s biggest stars.

The news came just months after Rahm had played a starring role in Europe’s Ryder Cup win in Rome. Crucially, no member of the European side at Marco Simone played on LIV at that time.

In reaction to Rahm’s move, McIlroy insisted that everything had to be done to ensure that the Spaniard was involved in New York in 2025.

Of course, Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton would shine for Europe in September. But once again, there is a question mark over their Ryder Cup futures.

Rahm and Hatton are appealing the fines handed to them by the DP World Tour for playing in LIV events. Up until the end of 2025, LIV were paying those fines for players.

Should they lose their appeal, the pair will either have to pay their own fines or risk losing their DP World Tour memberships and being ineligible for future Ryder Cups.

Interestingly, when asked about Rahm and Hatton’s situation ahead of the Dubai Desert Classic, McIlroy made no mention of the importance of the pair being available for Adare Manor.

“We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play the Ryder Cup, and we also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. There’s two guys that can prove it,” he said.

McIlroy’s Ryder Cup legacy is already cemented with 2025’s win

Obviously, McIlroy will certainly want to see Rahm and Hatton at Adare Manor next year.

But it does appear that winning a Ryder Cup on foreign soil hits a little differently, particularly for the European players who have such an incredible record at home.

Rahm was not even born the last time Team USA travelled back across the Atlantic with the Ryder Cup in their possession.

Another win in Europe will not change how McIlroy is viewed among the pantheon of the game’s greatest players.

But winning at Bethpage cemented McIlroy’s legacy as a Ryder Cup legend. Only a victory as a captain would now enhance it significantly further.

And clearly, he knew that Europe could not afford to be without one of their most important figures for that event.