Intro:

Rory McIlroy describes fellow Northern Darren Clarke as 'the perfect man' to captain the European Team at the 2016 Ryder Cup and calls the PGA Tour Player of the Year award as 'very important... because you get voted on by your peers' as he prepared for a Pro-Am event at St Andrews in Scotland.

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English) Rory McIlroy: (on the prospect of Darren Clarke captaining the European team at the next Ryder Cup in 2016 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota)

"You know, obviously there's been a few names being thrown about there... I've said that with a Ryder Cup being in America (next), I feel that Darren Clarke would be the perfect man to... you know, lead the team there, just because he has such a great rep... he's got such a great reputation everywhere, but especially in the States. The fans really love him there, he's got a good rapport with everyone. I think he would be the right man to do it next time at Hazeltine."

SOUNDBITE (English) Rory McIlroy: (on being voted PGA Tour player of the year for 2014)

"Aah... it does, it means a lot. I guess it's that time of year when the awards start to roll in and this... is a very important one to me, PGA Tour Player of the Year, because you get voted on by your peers and by the players you are trying to beat week in, week out and you know, if they appreciate what you've done, then that's something that obviously means a lot to you."