McIlroy's 'tears' after caddie Diamond's video

Rory McIlroy and Harry Diamond have been friends since they met as seven-year-olds at Holywood Golf Club in their native Northern Ireland

Rory McIlroy says he was left in tears after a video message from his caddie Harry Diamond was played at Monday's Europe Ryder Cup team meeting.

"There was a lot of tears shed," said McIlroy about the personal messages received by the Europe team.

"Harry did my one and just sort of bringing us through out journey."

In an interview with BBC Sport Northern Ireland in Rome, the world number two was noticeably emotional as he spoke about Diamond's words in the video.

"From when we were kids, meeting at Holywood Golf Club when we were seven years old on the putting green to all the way through and playing amateur golf together and now we're doing our third Ryder Cup together and everything that we've done in between that time. It's incredible.

Rory McIlroy says Europe skipper Luke Donald opted to "get all the emotion out of the way" at Monday's team meeting

"We're all here and we're all trying to play for our team-mates and our captain and our vice-captains but then to receive a message like that and to realise how many more people that you representing by being here, it's really, really cool.

"The other guys got messages that meant just as much to them."

McIlroy added that Europe skipper Luke Donald's approach in "getting the emotion out of the way" on Monday was different to previous captains.

"It's sort of flipped. Previous Ryder Cups we've sort of gone pretty light-hearted at the start of the week and then we get hit with an emotional bomb before we got play Friday.

"It's a little different this year.

"So it flipped a little bit and I think that was part of Luke's plan and strategy."

Whistling Straits struggles was the 'catalyst'

At Whistling Straits two years ago after his final-day singles win, McIlroy tearfully lamented his performances over the opening two days in Wisconsin in a live TV interview but the Northern Irishman has produced admirably consistent form since that even though he has not been able to add to his tally of four majors.

McIlroy triumphed on his next start at the CJ Cup in Las Vegas and landed the Fedex Cup title last year in addition to a series of near-misses in the majors which included a runners-up finish at this year's US Open and a share of third place in the 2022 Open Championship at St Andrews.

The world number two believes his Whistling Straits struggle was the "catalyst" for his improved form.

"The way I've played this last couple of years, you could sort of trace it back to Whistling Straits and having that really low moment on Saturday.

"Then my team rallying around me. They believed in me when I didn't believe in myself to send me out one, to give me the belief to go put a point on the board for Europe.

"Everything that I've done since then, you can all trace it back to that Sunday at Whistling Straits."

McIlroy says Seve Ballesteros' legacy will be one of the drivers for Europe this week

As ever, McIlroy added that Seve Ballesteros' legacy will be one of the drivers for Europe this week at the Marco Simone course.

"There's a romantic element to the Ryder Cup for Europeans in terms of Seve and how much he meant to the team.

"We rally around Seve a lot this week [Ryder Cup week] in terms of trying to play like him, trying to have an attitude like him. There are so many quotes of his in our locker room."