Rory McIlroy has perfect reply to Tommy Fleetwood after Ryder Cup taunt

Rory McIlroy couldn't resist taking a playful swipe at Tommy Fleetwoodafter his team-mate celebrated a Ryder Cup win to go alongside his Tour Championshipvictory. A month before McIlroy, Fleetwood and the rest of Team Europe achieved Ryder Cup success at Bethpage Black, Fleetwood had celebrated winning the final FedExCup playoff event in Georgia.

Not only did the Merseyside golfer secure his first PGA Tour triumph, he also banked the eye-watering £8million prize money. And, when speaking to reporters after their Ryder Cup triumph, McIlroy made a joke about Fleetwood's lucrative weekend in New York.

It came during the same press conference where McIlroy delivered a passionate response regarding his wife Erica Stoll's harrowing Ryder Cup experience. When asked how it felt to stick it to the rowdy fans in New York having put a shot two feet from the hole, McIlroy bluntly said (via the Mirror US): "Very f***ing satisfying."

Fleetwood, his playing partner who had to finish the hole, then added: "It wasn't stiff. It wasn't stiff. I had to putt it." That sparked laughter from his team-mates.

When he was asked what he saw, he replied: "Right centre. Pushed it in the right centre." After hearing that response, McIlroy delivered his swift retort: "Too busy counting all that money from the FedEx Cup."

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Despite teasing Fleetwood about his recent success, McIlroy heaped praise on captain Luke Donald and his team-mates for responding to Team USA's valiant final-day comeback.

"We got so lucky in getting an incredible leader in Luke Donald. He shepherded us through this process and he’s been absolutely amazing. A lot of the credit has to go to him," he said.

“Eleven of the twelve players from Rome came back, we did what we needed to do — and we are going to celebrate like there’s no tomorrow.”

He continued: "I’m extremely proud to be a part of this team. I’m extremely proud of every single one of the players, the VCs, the captain, all the backroom support staff.

“This was an unbelievable collective effort, and as soon as we won in Rome, we turned our attention to trying to do something that everyone thought was impossible to do. Not just winning in America, but winning here in New York. It’s been an amazing week.”

And while McIlroy wasn't there to celebrate with Fleetwood in Georgia, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the 34-year-old in New York alongside the rest of Team Europe helped ease a tough week.

Particularly, the 36-year-old explained how being part of the Ryder Cup transcends any individual achievement; it represents a united mission to bring glory to the game.

He said: "Yeah, it's been a really tough week. It's been really tough. I felt I didn't have much today. I didn't feel I put up that much of a fight against Scottie. He wasn't at his best either. If we were at our best, the level of golf would have been better."

"When you win a Ryder Cup, it isn't about you. It's about the team, and we did enough to get the job done," he concluded.