Justin Rose defends Europe's new Ryder Cup trick: "It was a great idea!"
England's Justin Rose admitted he only used the virtual reality headsets given to the European players ahead of the Ryder Cup for five minutes.
England's Justin Rose admitted he only spent five minutes using the virtual reality headsets given to the European players to help them prepare for the Ryder Cup.
Rose and his 11 teammates will begin their quest to complete an improbable and unlikely victory at Bethpage Black in New York on Friday.
For Rose, it will be the seventh occasion he has worn the European colours and he is aiming to be a part of a fifth success story.
He was part of the last team to taste victory on American soil, helping Europe complete the Miracle at Medinah in 2012.
Rose was even involved in one of the greatest singles matches ever, defeating Phil Mickelson on the final hole when it looked like he was dead and buried.
If a stacked United States team wasn't enough, Rose and Team Europe will also have to overcome a treacherously difficult course in Bethpage Black.
And the US fans.
Captain Luke Donald sanctioned the use of virtual reality headsets to help the team prepare but Rose told reporters on Wednesday he only popped it on for five minutes.
He had more fun showing his wife Kate and his children.
That's not to say, though, that Rose didn't think it was a bad idea.
"It was a great idea," Rose said. "And I wouldn't say I've spent more than five minutes using them, if I'm honest.
"I think it was really, really interesting to put them on and get the feeling of what it was going to look like, obviously, with the 18th and the wraparound and the first and the stands and how a full Bethpage could look and feel.
"I had more fun showing my family. Some people who aren't going to be here, my son, my daughter, my mum.
"Like this is what the first tee is going to feel like. That was really cool from that point of view.
"Obviously it's VR, and it was the overlaying of just the US chants and things like that. So worth doing, for sure, but a soft serving of it, let's put it that way."
"I didn't know he was coming this week"
Team Europe have also handed Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola a surprise role this week.
The 49-year-old Italian has been appointed as a buggy driver for vice-captain Francesco Molinari.
Rose is Chelsea fan and admitted he was starstruck when the former Premier League star turned up.
"It was a huge surprise, and literally, one of the first people I bumped into," Rose said. "I was coming around the corner hotel to the lifts and bumped into him.
"I was just saying out there, I meet a lot of really cool people in my life through the game of golf. But I was like, 'Whoa! Wow! Hey, Gianfranco!' I was starstruck which is amazing."
Rose added: "You know, football hits different, especially back at home, and obviously the career he's had, clearly - I mean, listen, I've become more of an engaged football fan in the last decade, I would say.
"I have a 16-year-old-son who's mad about his football. So it's really been a thing we connect with now.
"So I would say my history of football and like really knowing greatest hits and highlights, I'd be not quite there.
"But I think his energy, what he can provide, I think he's here just to sort of in a sense not - let's call it fly on the wall.
"But I think if there's a moment that he observes and can kind of chime in and can understand the pressure or can understand momentum or locker room mentality, then obviously there's probably going to be something this week where he can relay a really powerful message.
"Hopefully he has that opportunity because I'd love to hear it."
The pairings for Friday's opening Ryder Cup matches will be announced at 21:00 BST on Thursday.
When the Ryder Cup begins, you can follow daily live text commentary on the GolfMagic website.
We'll also be bringing you all the latest news, opinion and analysis.
Ben Smith joined the GolfMagic team in September 2021, initially as a content executive.
These days, he assumes the position of content manager.
