Rory McIlroy has emotional message for wife Erica and daughter Poppy after Ryder Cup

Rory McIlroy admits 2025 has been the year of his life after helping Europe win their first away Ryder Cup in 13 years. 

McIlroy, 36, has enjoyed a blockbuster season with four victories on Tour followed by lifting the Ryder Cup at Bethpage last Sunday.

The Northern Irishman won his first ever title at Pebble Beach earlier in the season, before capturing a second Players Championship and first Masters to complete the career slam. 

McIlroy then won a second Irish Open once again at The K Club last month, a few weeks before helping Europe win their fifth away Ryder Cup and first since Medinah in 2012. 

Although Scottie Scheffler has won more times than McIlroy this season, we consider the Ulsterman has achieved a whole lot more. 

The European Ryder Cup superstar once again proved a major thorn in Keegan Bradley's Team USA in New York last week.

Related:

• The simple PGA errors that rightly left Rory McIlroy fuming at Ryder Cup

McIlroy took 3.5 points from five sessions, with his only loss coming to World No.1 Scheffler (1up) in the Sunday singles. 

It mattered little at the end of the day as Europe held off a spirited American final-day charge to win by two points 15-13. 

The biggest talking point during the Ryder Cup was the verbal abuse and insults that both McIlroy and his wife received during the action at Bethpage Black, especially on Saturday.

McIlroy was subjected to shocking insults and even homophobic slurs, while Erica received insults and even had a drink thrown at her. 

Rory McIlroy claims 2025 the best of his career both on and off the course

With tears in his eyes as he reflected on a rollercoaster week and his season at large, having just been sprayed in champagne, an emotional McIlroy made his "best year" claim while paying tribute to his wife Erica, daughter Poppy and his parents Gerry and Rosie. 

"It's the best year of my career and the best year of my life" said McIlroy in an interview with talkSPORT. 

"Best year of my life on and off the course too, you know I've got so many things to be grateful and lucky for away from the golf course, beautiful wife, beautiful daughter, my parents are healthy, I've got a great support group, great friends, and that's the important thing.

"This is obviously incredible [winning the Ryder Cup] what we're doing here, when it's all said and done I'm going to have those really important people in my life and I feel so lucky for that."

Watch McIlroy's comments here: