"There's Not Much More Padraig Could Have Done" - McIlroy

Rory McIlroy conceded that the Americans simply played better than Team Europe...

Rory McIlroy makes his first appearance out on the PGA Tour since the Ryder Cup this week at the CJ Cup.

The four-time Major winner had a forgettable experience at Whistling Straits, losing all of his three doubles matches and missing a session for the first time in his Ryder Cup career.

McIlroy led Team Europe out in the Sunday Singles and won his first point of the 2020 Ryder Cup against Xander Schauffele, before breaking down in tears in his post-round interviews.

The former World No.1 opened up on the week ahead of the CJ Cup and conceded that there wasn't much European captain Padraig Harrington could have done as his side lost by a record score of 19-9.

"From the whole process and being obviously involved and in the team room, there's not much more Padraig could have done," the Northern Irishman said.

"I said at the start, even before the week, the captains, they set the tone and they maybe create a little bit of the culture that week, but at the end of the day it's us, it's the players that are out there hitting the shots and trying to hole the putts, and Europe didn't hit the shots or hole the putts.

"When you look back on it, America just holed so many more putts than we did and got momentum early.

"They started matches so quick and they got the crowd on their side, they get momentum and when you're the away side and trying to fight back from that, it's very difficult.

"I certainly couldn't sit here and criticise anything that Padraig did.

"It was on the players to play better golf and hole putts and we didn't do that."

Related: Golf ball issues forced Harrington into last minute Ryder Cup changes

McIlroy also spoke about his emotion following the conclusion of play.

"I don't necessarily get emotional about golf, so I guess in that way it surprised me," he said.

"I think maybe I realised a couple of things about myself that I hadn't known, or maybe I had known but I was trying to keep down and not let them out.

"I was surprised at how emotional I got, but after a little bit of reflection over the last couple of weeks, I sort of realised why I did get that way."