Europe's secret Ryder Cup weapon? VR headsets

Rory McIlroy has revealed a secret European weapon before their upcoming defence of the Ryder Cup: virtual reality headsets shouting abuse.

- Ewan Murray

Luke Donald, the Europe captain, handed players the equipment during a team gathering on Tuesday night.

The idea is to try to replicate what level of attention - or name-calling - the Europe team will receive in what is expected to be the hostile environment of Bethpage this month.

"They said: 'How far do you want this to go?'" McIlroy explained. "And I said: 'Go as far as you want. It is just to simulate the sights and sounds and noise. That's the stuff that we are going to have to deal with.

"So it's better to try to desensitise yourself as much as possible before you get in there. You can get them to say whatever you want them to say. So you can go as close to the bone as you like."

Donald's attention to detail is well known but this is a striking move. Europe have not won on American soil since 2012. "We are doing everything we can to best prepare ourselves for what it is going to feel like on Friday week," McIlroy said.