Thomas Bjorn’s tattoo promise gave Europe extra motivation to win Ryder Cup, Ian Poulter reveals

Rory McIlroy joked: ‘There could be a visit to a tattoo parlour coming soon for Mr Bjorn on his head’

Europe’s Ryder Cup winners revealed that captain Thomas Bjorn’s promise to get a tattoo if they won helped motivate them on the way to a thumping 17.5-10.5 victory over the USA.

Bjorn’s wildcard picks racked up 9.5 points on their own and the Dane was universally praised by his players for the support team he assembled and the relaxed way in which he led them.

But it was another piece of motivation, revealed on the team’s WhatsApp group, which gave them that extra push, the players said.

“You might all see – I don’t know when it’s going to get done, but we had some extra motivation this week to make sure we put our hands back on that trophy,” Ian Poulter told a press conference.

“As little or big as that number is going to be; it will be a very interesting number to see.”

Sergio Garcia asked if it would be a “number or an image” to which Poulter responded “the score”. “We still have to work in the initials of the players,” added Garcia.

Europe captain Thomas Bjorn is doused in champagne (Getty Images) (Getty)

Rory McIlroy joked: “There could be a visit to a tattoo parlour coming soon for Mr Bjorn on his head.”

Justin Rose added that the bald Dane had “plenty of real estate” for a tattoo artist to work with on his scalp but Bjorn himself suggested any ink would be somewhere far more private.

“Let me put it this way, it’s going to go on a part that only Grace will see,” he said. “I might have to send them a picture, well, then you’ll all see it as well, I guess.

“The worst decision I made all week.”