Skipper Luke Donald handed out VR headsets at Tuesdays team gathering on Tuesday in an attempt to help the players anticipate the abuse they will receive from fans on the first tee at Bethpage Black.

Asked what kind of things were played over the headsets, McIlroy told the Guardian: “You don’t want to know. Not for publication.”

Players were asked how much abuse they were prepared to listen to and McIlroy said: “Go as far as you want.”

He explained: “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.”

McIlroy knows nothing can pre

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