McIlroy says US Ryder Cup T-shirt silhouette 'looks a little similar' to him

Rory McIlroy said a silhouette of a golfer printed on a Team USA Ryder Cup T-shirt “looks a little similar” to him but that he would not mind if fans wore it, after debate on both sides of the Atlantic about who is depicted.

The Ralph Lauren T-shirt, listed for $65 on the official USA Ryder Cup online shop ahead of this month’s match at Bethpage Black in New York, is described on the site as featuring a “bold golfer graphic.” Reports in the Daily Telegraph and conversation among European Tour players noted the image bears a resemblance to McIlroy’s recognisable post-swing pose with a driver. “It looks more like Adam Scott than me but yeah, it looks a little similar, I don't know,” McIlroy said in remarks to Sky Sports. He added that he would be fine with American fans potentially wearing a shirt that resembles him. BBC Sport has approached the PGA and Ralph Lauren for comment.

McIlroy, 36, is preparing to play for Europe in his eighth consecutive Ryder Cup. He has been a member of winning teams in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2023, and the match at Bethpage Black is scheduled for later this month. The controversy over the graphic emerged as attention turns to the contest between Europe and the United States.

The exchange about the T-shirt came as McIlroy outlined longer-term plans to diversify his playing schedule after completing a career Grand Slam with this year’s Masters victory. Citing advice from tennis great Roger Federer, McIlroy said he increasingly wants to play in places he has not visited competitively and to be more selective about his starts. He confirmed plans to play in India for the first time from Oct. 16-19 and to return to the Australian Open in December for the first time in 11 years.

“I had a chat with Roger Federer… and he was saying he wanted to go and play a lot of the places he could never play in his career,” McIlroy said. “I think as time goes on and I get to this stage of my career, I get excited about doing that sort of thing.” He said he has not set an age for retirement but intends to avoid “grinding” on tour into his 50s, preferring instead to prioritise majors, the Ryder Cup and events in locations he enjoys.

McIlroy said he will maintain memberships on key tours while tailoring his appearances: “I want to play in the locations that I love to go to, and I want to play the majors and the Ryder Cup. That's it. I'll obviously do my bit to make sure I keep my membership on certain tours but I'm going to play where I want to play.”

Organisers and the apparel maker had not issued statements by the time of publication. The T-shirt remains available on the USA Ryder Cup shop ahead of the match at Bethpage Black.