Ryder Cup: Rory McIlroy sets watch to ensure no repeat of time-keeping blunder

McIlroy almost cost Europe the last Ryder Cup on US soil in 2012 with a timekeeping blunder

Poulter, McIlroy and Sullivan share a joke (Getty)

Rory McIlroy has taken a vital step to ensure there will be no repeat of the blunder which could have cost Europe the last Ryder Cup on US soil in 2012.

Thinking that his singles match with Keegan Bradley at Medinah started at 12:25pm, McIlroy was still at the team hotel when he got a panicked phone call telling him he had 25 minutes to get to the first tee.

"I read the tee times on my phone and they are obviously on Eastern time and it's Central time here," McIlroy said at the time. "I was just casually strolling out of my hotel room when I got a phone call saying you have 25 minutes.

"I have never been so worried driving to the course. Luckily there was a State Trooper outside who gave me the escort, if not I would not have made it on time."

Two minutes late and McIlroy would have forfeited the opening hole, five minutes late and he faced disqualification, but to the relief of every European he arrived in an unmarked car with 10 minutes to go and went on to beat Bradley 2&1 as Jose Maria Olazabal's side came back from 10-6 down.

Like Medinah, this year's venue of Hazeltine in Minnesota is also in the Central time zone and McIlroy was asked on Tuesday if he had been reminded of that fact.

"Yeah, I've already set my watch," the 27-year-old said with a smile. "Thanks for that."

PA