Iqbal Khan
Johannesburg - Whether Rory McIlroy’s refusal to do post-round interviews was rare or not, the Northern Irishman should have fronted up and faced the media after he missed the cut at the Masters at Augusta last week.
He behaved like a spoiled brat, all because he missed yet another chance to complete a Grand Slam. Many golf writers say that he is the best in the world but he is not, because he is not the world No 1.
The best in the world is US Masters winner Jon Rahm of Spain – without any doubt.
Furthermore, McIlroy plays most of his golf in the US and in the UK. He rarely ventures out to play in Australia, Europe, on the Asian Tour or even, for that matter, in South Africa as Jack Nicklaus, one of the all-time greats of the game did. Admittedly, he has played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) but that may only be because of appearance money.
He certainly is no role model for youngsters, wherever in the world they may be, especially after his behaviour at Augusta.
There was no excuse for that type of behaviour, especially from a professional who is ranked No 2 in the world. McIlroy would have arrived at the media centre if he had won or even if he had made the cut.
But McIlroy, who has been gunning for a Masters title to complete a career Grand Slam and join Nicklaus (3), Tiger Woods (3), Ben Hogan (1), Gary Player (1) and Gene Sarazen (1).
Going into the Masters as the hot favourite to join the elite list, McIlroy imploded in the opening round and from there onwards it was one disaster after another as he shot rounds of 77 and 72.
Annoyed, frustrated and disappointed with himself, he decided that he was not going to face the media – the very people who put him on a pedestal from the beginning of his career.
No-one dared to criticise McIlroy for his absolutely shocking behaviour. Why? All because McIlroy has become the “voice” of the DP World Tour and PGA Tour since the arrival of LIV Golf.
McIlroy has become the “poster boy” of the two leading tours of the world and has been voicing his disapproval of LIV golfers being permitted to play in the PGA and DP World Tour events. He should be concentrating on his job on the fairways and let the administrators handle the LIV Golf issues.
However, it was very interesting what BBC Sport put out after McIlroy’s refusal for interviews: “The scale of McIlroy’s disappointment was made clear by his rare refusal to do any post-round interviews.”
That rare refusal also denied his long list of backers – especially TaylorMade Golf – worldwide coverage.
The 33-year-old won the last of his four Majors in 2014. In the past 10 months he has won four events on the PGA Tour.
The latest is that McIlroy has decided to skip the RBC Heritage in South Carolina this week without any reason. Shame! The RBC Heritage is among the PGA Tour’s designated events.
According to BBC Sport, players ranked in the top 20 of the circuit’s Player Impact Programme (PIP) – created to reward players for boosting engagement and publicity on the PGA Tour – are allowed to skip only one designated event per season. McIlroy has already sat out the season-opening Sentry Tournament of Champions in January.
This second absence could potentially cost him bonus money from the PIP, which is distributed at the end of the PGA Tour season and which earned McIlroy £7.5-million last year.
IOL Sport
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