London - Arrogant, selfish, egotistical - and that’s just three of the more polite words being bandied about Troon yesterday following Rory McIlroy’s stunning demolition job on Olympic golf.
Fair enough, nobody would seek to justify comments like: ‘I won’t be watching the golf from Rio, I’ll be watching the sports that matter.’ But what on earth possessed him, everyone wanted to know, and where did the obvious frustration stem from?
As it happens, I had a five-minute chat with Rory on Tuesday evening, as he accepted an award at the annual dinner of the Association of Golf Writers. As usual, he was polite and friendly, but he made it clear he’d had a bellyful of being pushed around over the Olympics and saying what he thought everyone wanted him to say.
Interestingly, he brought up an interview he did with me several years ago, in which he confessed to feeling ‘more British than Irish’ which generated a firestorm of publicity, particularly in the Irish Republic. That’s when his problems with the Olympics really began, when he knew he wouldn’t be free to decide his allegiance. I’m quite certain that if Northern Ireland had an Olympic team, McIlroy wouldn’t just be in Rio next month, he’d be waving the flag proudly at the opening ceremony, and never mind if a swarm of Zika-carrying mosquitoes were flying overhead.
If he’d been allowed to choose Team GB without causing a multitude of upset, it’s also quite possible he’d have gone.
But from the moment he found himself caught up in a political minefield it planted a seed of unrest that became apathy and has now turned into resentment.
Meanwhile Team GB was formally announced on Wednesday, with Danny Willett and Justin Rose representing the men and Charley Hull (left) and Catriona Matthew the women. Rose spoke on behalf of those who will be in Rio, saying: ‘Jack Nicklaus is my hero and he said he’d have walked to Rio to play in the Olympics. I feel the same way. Hopefully golf will follow tennis’s lead and go from strength to strength after a weak start.’
Daily Mail