Rory McIlroy might be fired up forward of this 12 months's Ryder Cup after American golfer Wyndham Clark has despatched out a problem to the 24-time PGA Tour winner. The present US Open champion is eager to face the Northern Irishman within the singles competitors, regardless of referring to McIlroy as "one of the best of all time."

Clark has loved a powerful season profitable The Wells Fargo Championship and registering 12 top-20 finishes to offer him computerized qualification to the Ryder Cup. But his largest achievement thus far, and first main title win, got here in June when he lifted the US Open on the Los Angeles Country Club.

Of course, his closest competitor on the match was McIlroy, who ended the match in second by a single stroke having beforehand received the occasion in 2011. With a rivalry brewing between the pair, the American desires to face off in opposition to the Northern Irishman but once more on the Ryder Cup.

Potentially fuelling his competitor with motivation forward of the match, he fired a barbed warning in the direction of McIlroy forward of his first Ryder Cup. Speaking to the Golf Channel, he asserted: "That is exactly who I want, I would love to play Rory."

“I've the utmost respect for Rory – he's one in every of our nice ambassadors of our sport. He is clearly among the finest of all time and he's nonetheless going so he will be that. I've tons of respect for Rory and due to that respect, I additionally need to beat him. I wish to assume I'm higher than him and I need to show that.

Of course, such phrases are prone to do nothing to melt any want from McIlroy to reveal his superiority over Clark. It is probably going that he'll now be determined to point out the American is nothing greater than a pretender to his crown as one in every of golf's greats.

Although the Colorado-born star did appear to come back down from his declare, it did seem that he has seen similarities between his sport and that of McIlroy. If his confidence stems from weighing up the Northern Irishman's credentials on this sense, it's doubtless that the previous world No. 1 might be keen to point out he has the sting.

Still, the American appears very a lot up for a battle of wits. He stated: "I would love to play Rory, I think that would be really fun for the fans too. Long-ball hitters. We have similar games in that respect.

Conceding a little, he added: "It could be somewhat little bit of David and Goliath. I'm hoping to get that likelihood. Regardless of who I play, I'm actually excited. But that one could be lots of enjoyable."

These phrases will in the end find yourself being ill-advised or prophetic, whether or not the 2 ultimately face off or not. Now, because the Ryder Cup heads to Rome, Italy on September 25, it's doubtless that each one eyes might be on the duo as a rivalry probably brews.