The last time Rory McIlroy was at Medinah he arrived in a ‘sirens on’ police car.
Not that McIlroy was under arrest but the story goes he slept-in in getting his time zones wrong and it was his future wife, Erica Stroll working with the PGA of America’s transportation division at the then 2012 Ryder Cup.
It was Sunday morning of the Ryder Cup and with Europe trailing 6-10 heading into the Singles.
Erica had not yet met McIlroy but she pulled a few strings in hastily arranging for a local district police car to meet McIlroy at the team hotel and rush him to the course, and with McIlroy having to drastically cut short his intended practice in arriving at the course just 10-mins before tee-off in the third match of the day against Keegan Bradley.
Rory McIlroy arrives at the final day of the 2012 Ryder Cup in a Lombard Country unmarked police car
Remarkably, McIlroy won his match 2 & 1 and lifted the overall score to Europe 9 – USA 10 and with the ‘Miracle of Medinah’ unfolding as Jose Maria Olazabal’s men, and clearly inspired by the late Seve Ballesteros, dramatically and emotionally retained the Ryder Cup 14 1/2 to 13 1/2.
Ian Poulter, who had inspired Europe’s fightback in the final match a day earlier, now owns the police car having purchased it at auction.
It comes then as no surprise McIlroy has returned to Medinah looking to “rekindle some fond memories”.
“Medinah has got some good memories for me,” said McIlroy. “Unbeknown to us at the time, but it was where I met my wife for the first time.
What’s the fuss – Rory McIlroy arrives at Medinah just in time for his Sunday Singles match
“It was an incredible Ryder Cup with everything that happened there.
“We have been sort of excited to get back there all year. If I play this week how I played at Medinah that week, I’d be very happy. I played some great golf.”
Only four members of that 2012 victorious Euopean Team – McIlroy, Poulter, Justin Rose and Graeme McDowell – are returning to Medinah for the $US 9.25m BMW Championship.
The World No. 3 will tee-up after after finishing four shots behind Northern Trust winner Patrick Reed in the first FedEx Cup play-offs but dropping from second to third on the FedEx Cup standnigs.
“Even if I’m not playing that well I’m still able to get myself somewhat in contention,” McIlroy said.
“Even when one part of my game is off, I am sort of making up for it with other parts of my game, whether it be driving, chipping or putting.
“The good stuff is in there; I’m just hitting too many loose shots and they are costing me.
“I don’t think the frustrating thing is not winning the tournament, the frustrating thing is just not quite being in control of what I’m doing out there.”
