McIlroy a team player in Scotland

Rory McIlroy will be channelling his Ryder Cup mentality when he teams up with dad Gerry at this week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

McIlroy has finished second at this event three times since securing his playing privileges here in 2007 and is determined to finally get over the line in Scotland.

Victory in the team event with his father would be almost equally sweet for the World Number Two, however - with Gerry celebrating his 60th birthday next week - and McIlroy admits a team win would mean more him than another solo second on Sunday.

"I'm taking the team part of it almost just as serious as the individual part," he said.

"It's my dad's 60th birthday next week and I said to him, 'what do you want for your birthday?', and he said, 'I'd love to play the Dunhill one more time'. This is his birthday present. His last hoorah, I think. Hopefully we have a good week and make it to Sunday.

"I think it's special that it's in the arena, it's in the environment. I think he's probably enjoying golf more than he ever has. Whenever he gets to play here, it's his favourite week of the year and he loves it and enjoys it and embraces it. He's in heaven this week, which is great.

"We've actually played against each other the last two days, so it will be nice to have him as my partner tomorrow. We've been giving each other some stick the last two days.

"He got the better of me yesterday and I was able to just beat him today. We get to team up tomorrow and I'm excited for that.

"My first two Ryder Cups I struggled to deal with the fact that I wasn't just playing for myself. Every shot you hit doesn't just affect you, it affects the rest of your team and it affects everything that everyone is trying to play for.

"It took me a while to get out of that mindset and just focus on myself and try to win my point and all that.

"If I'm over a four foot par putt over the next three days and I know that my dad is out of the hole, I think that creates extra pressure because you're trying to do it for you but you're trying to not let the team lose the shot either. If anything, there's a little extra pressure there, but it's good."

McIlroy has three worldwide wins in 2019 but has not won on the European Tour since the 2016 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, a streak he would love to end on Sunday.

"I guess the history that I've had at this tournament from getting my Tour card back in 2007 to having a few chances to win and not quite getting the job done, it obviously would be really nice to win at St Andrews at some point," he said,

"It would be nice. I was reminded by someone outside that I've never won in Scotland before so I'll try to change that this week."