McIlroy says Europe used virtual‑reality headsets to simulate Ryder Cup heckling at Bethpage
European players were given headsets that replicate course sights and crowd abuse as part of preparations for the U.S. visit, Rory McIlroy says
Rory McIlroy said Sunday that Europe's Ryder Cup squad has been using virtual‑reality headsets to rehearse the sights, sounds and abuse they expect to face at Bethpage Black later this month.
McIlroy, speaking after a tie for 20th at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, said the 12 players travelling to New York were each given a headset on Tuesday that allows users to visualise the course and to simulate heckling from local crowds. He said the volume and severity of the abuse could be adjusted and that he told the operators to "go as far as you want."
"It simulates the sights and sounds and noise. That's the stuff that we are going to have to deal with, so it's better to try to desensitize yourself as much as possible before you get in there," McIlroy said. When asked what specific messages were piped into his device he replied, "You don't want to know. Not for publication."
Team captain Luke Donald's camp had been largely quiet on the specifics of the preparations being employed to handle the expected partisan atmosphere at the U.S. venue. McIlroy's comments were the most detailed account yet from a member of the playing side. Donald has previously been reported to try a range of techniques to prepare his team, including, earlier in the year at the Team Cup in Abu Dhabi, employing a comedian to mimic heckling aimed at Tyrrell Hatton.
The revelation came after the conclusion of the BMW PGA Championship, won on a playoff by vice‑captain Alex Noren. Noren finished 19 under par and defeated Adrien Saddier at the first extra hole to claim his second DP World Tour title in three weeks. McIlroy closed with a 65 at Wentworth; Hatton finished four shots off the pace after a closing 70. Viktor Hovland and Matt Fitzpatrick were among those who finished in a tie for fifth before joining their team‑mates on a charter flight to New York on Sunday night for a two‑day reconnaissance trip.
The Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black is scheduled for the end of the month. U.S. Ryder Cup crowds at hostile venues have long been a feature of the event's lore, and McIlroy framed the VR work as a form of desensitisation intended to reduce the potential impact of loud, targeted heckling on players' performance.
McIlroy's remarks add detail to a series of unconventional preparation methods the European team has explored. Donald named Noren as a vice‑captain, a role that drew attention amid Noren's recent run of form on the DP World Tour. Representatives for the European team did not immediately comment on McIlroy's description of the VR sessions.
The European team will have limited on‑site time before the Ryder Cup begins; the two‑day reconnaissance trip is intended to familiarise players with Bethpage Black's layout and the likely spectator experience. Play at Wentworth concluded the week before the team departed for New York, marking a final competitive appearance for several Europeans ahead of the biennial match play contest.