Tour News

McIlroy throwing stones at the elderly?

Published

10 years ago

Sep 11, 2014

Atop his golfing perch, Rory McIlroy threw a few shots at Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, neither of whom will be participating in this week’s Tour Championship.

In a press conference at the Tour Championship on Wednesday, McIlroy explained his observations regarding the absence of the two golfing titans that have headlined the sport for over two decades.

Mickelson, who finished runner-up to McIlroy in the 2014 PGA Championship, has looked “a little tired” the past few weeks, McIlroy said according to the Golf Channel. He then spoke of Woods’ injury-laden 2014 season, saying, “When he gets back to full fitness, you’ll see him back here.” He then compared their respective careers to a waning round of golf:

“They’re just getting older,” said McIlroy, according to ESPN.com. “Phil’s [44] and Tiger’s [39]. So they’re getting into the sort of last few holes of their careers, and that’s what happens.”

It’s the first time since 1992 that neither Mickelson nor Woods has qualified for the season’s finale, but only the second time McIlroy has qualified.

“It obviously just gets harder as you get older.” McIlroy said, according to ESPN.com. “I’ll be able to tell you in 20 years how it feels.”

McIlroy is currently sitting comfortably on top of the golfing world. He holds the fourth spot in the FedEx Cup standings heading into this week’s Tour Championship, well within striking distance for the $10 million FedEx Cup prize. He’s also coming off two consecutive major championship victories, and has firmly established himself not only as the best young player in the game, but the best golfer in the world.

“Anything other than a win here would be a disappointment,” McIlroy said, regarding his thoughts about the Tour Championship. “After I finished the PGA, all my focus was on the FedEx Cup and trying to win this.”

McIlroy is focused, but doesn’t seem concerned. He doesn’t mathematically need to win the Tour Championship in order to take home the FedEx Cup.

“If that means that, obviously if I finish second or third and end up winning the whole thing, then that’s cool as well,” he said, according to the Golf Channel. “I mean, I want to win. I only have to beat 28 other guys. It’s not like a regular field where you have to beat 155.”

One thing is for certain, as McIlroy pointed out in his press conference on Wednesday — to win the FedEx Cup, he won’t need to outplay Phil Mickelson or Tiger Woods, because health and father-time have already outplayed them in 2014.

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Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

31 Comments

Pingback: McIlroy's Ill Comments - The Golf Shop Online Blog
John

Sep 13, 2014 at 7:53 am

What a stupid senseless story!!!

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Ponjo

Sep 12, 2014 at 4:29 pm

Rory will be telling us next that Patrick Reed is a top 5 golfer

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Dpavs

Sep 12, 2014 at 1:36 pm

I agree that Rory in all likelihood did not intend any ill will by saying what he said.

But the point that he exhibited the tactless of impetuous youth in even talking about the waning of Phil and Tigers careers is not lost on me either. Sometimes it’s better to simply take the high road even if what you would otherwise say is the truth.

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Zach

Sep 12, 2014 at 9:25 am

I thought Rory said that they were on the back 9 of their career! That is completely more respectful that saying they were on the last few holes! =)

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Jordan

Sep 11, 2014 at 8:16 pm

Rory gives an honest answer and then it’s twisted to make a headline?

Hopefully Rory can look past nonsense such as this and still provide genuine answers during interviews. You could hardly blame him if he stopped talking to the press.

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ChristopherKee

Sep 11, 2014 at 12:47 pm

Wow, what a piece of junk article. Don’t turn WRX into TMZ please.

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Mike Belkin

Sep 11, 2014 at 12:27 pm

Okay let’s take it easy on Andrew here for posing a question in the title of the article. Had he not done that, I probably would have not read this piece…..and I’m happy I did, because it just makes me like Rory even more for just speaking the truth. If I were writing this piece, however, I might have titled it “Rory Speaks The Truth: Tiger and Phil Are Old”

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Don

Sep 11, 2014 at 11:07 am

This article can be summed up by Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing. Clearly a slooooow news day.

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Stronzo

Sep 11, 2014 at 10:38 am

Who are these ugly, idiotic, worthless, disrespectful, tabloid journalists that we don’t need on WRX?

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RobG

Sep 11, 2014 at 10:30 am

This article is a perfect example of a “journalist” taking words completely out of context for the sake of grabbing a headline.

A reporter posed the question “This is the first time since 1992 that both Tiger and Phil had not made it to the Tour Championship. Is this the changing of the guard?” And Rory was very respectful in his response.

He spoke about Phil and Tiger getting to the back nines of their careers, Phil appeared tired as it was along season, and spoke about Tiger’s health. He was very respectful and articulate with his answers. If you actually watched the press conference you could see he wasn’t really comfortable with the question but he answered it like he answers every questions. Respectfully and honestly.

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Ken

Sep 11, 2014 at 9:39 am

This is a stupid article and an even more ridiculous title. Completely inaccurate interpretation of the reality of life. Throwing stones?: “He then spoke of Woods’ injury-laden 2014 season, saying, “When he gets back to full fitness, you’ll see him back here.”” Sounds like he really thinks Woods’ is washed up…

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paul

Sep 11, 2014 at 9:15 am

More like throwing a grain of sand then throwing a rock…

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Ryan

Sep 11, 2014 at 1:54 am

Let’s see if he can accomplish half of what Tiger and Phil have done…

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- mtn1414
  
  Sep 11, 2014 at 8:26 pm
  
  Well, if you compare Rory’s accomplishments at his current age to Phil’s and Woods’ accomplishments at that same age, he’s already accomplished a lot more than half. The difference going forward is he doesn’t have an Earl in his ear problem or Phil’s health issues. All that can change, but I’d bet on him accomplishing more than Phil or Woods over a full career.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - twitch12
    
    Sep 12, 2014 at 9:19 am
    
    I’m not sure what record books you are looking at? Rory is a great player but he is way off track on keeping pace with Tiger. Thru the same amount of majors played, I believe Tiger had 8 at this point. Tiger has won about a quarter of the tournaments that he has ever played. Rory is not even close to being on par with that. Rory is one of my favorite players and he is without a doubt the best player in the work. That being said, he is no where close to Tiger in his accomplishments. He is ahead of Phil on the major pace but not wins.
    
    Reply Report comment
Steven

Sep 11, 2014 at 12:43 am

This is a ridiculous article. A young plater names the reality that bodies have limitations imposed by age and suddenly he’s “throwing stones.” He has a professional and personal relationship with Tiger and Phil and his comments were taken within the context of that relationship. If Tiger and Phil take offense, then let them cry foul.

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- adam
  
  Sep 11, 2014 at 8:49 am
  
  Spot on.
  
  Reply Report comment
Ken

Sep 10, 2014 at 9:00 pm

And the beat goes on. The lad is a realist.

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Billy Joe

Sep 10, 2014 at 8:40 pm

OOOOOOOOO!!!!!! He said what everyone already knew.

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carl truitt

Sep 10, 2014 at 7:27 pm

slow news day…

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Philip

Sep 10, 2014 at 7:20 pm

Ah no, he wasn’t throwing stones. Was asked questions that anyone would pretty much answer the same.

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Fred

Sep 10, 2014 at 7:17 pm

If I were Rory, I would show a little class and keep my mouth shut. I haven’t been very impressed with his last few outings, especially last week. Despite what the golf world thinks, I seriously doubt Rory is the second coming, or next big thing in golf. I also doubt he will win the FedEx Cup. And he certainly will never be spoken in the same sentences with Nicklaus or Palmer.

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- cb
  
  Sep 10, 2014 at 11:17 pm
  
  i agree that what he said came off wrong. I’m hoping what he meant was, that no matter who you are, that playing for that long will take its toll on your body and require you to take better care. It is not bashing their playing ability, just that you can’t get away with what you could when you were 21 when you are 40. you have to take better care of your body. i don’t think he was saying that they still couldn’t whoop his butt, its just that you have to take more precautions as you get older
  
  Reply Report comment
- MHendon
  
  Sep 11, 2014 at 12:05 am
  
  Fred I believe I’ve seen you hating on Rory before. The young man is nothing but class and I see nothing wrong with what he said. All players ability declines past a certain age everyone knows that. I can’t see how anyone would have a problem with Rory but clearly you do. If I where you I wouldn’t bet against him winning the Fedex cup. Oh and news flash he already is the next big thing in golf, 4 majors by age 25 that’s just 3 shy of Palmers career total. So I would say by the end of his career he has a real good chance of being mentioned as one of the greats along with Nicklaus, Palmer, and of course lets not forget Woods.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Frank
    
    Sep 23, 2014 at 10:39 am
    
    Rory didn’t win the FedEx. He was outplayed in his own pairing by Billy Horschel. Billy, by beating Rory like a drum made $10 million.
    
    Reply Report comment
- dapadre
  
  Sep 11, 2014 at 5:20 am
  
  To be honest I think its a european thing. I grew up in the states and I have lived in Europe for the last 20+ years. To be very honest to Rory, though he has been cheeky in the past, this was not his intention. In the States an athlete will be a bit coy and not want to stir the waters, in europe they tend to be more direct but not in a insulting way. In the beginning I also has issues with how they communicate. If you watch the interview you can see he was a bit uneasy almost thinking how can I say this without harming any one. Truth is he is right. Age catches up with everyone and he was simply stating the facts. But we know headlines sell, so they need to say he was throwing stones looking for controversy.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Colin Gillbanks
  
  Sep 11, 2014 at 6:13 am
  
  He’s doing a fair impression of being ‘the next big thing in golf’. Four majors by the time he’s 25 and number one in the world? I’m not sure what more you’d expect from him.
  
  As for the comments about Woods and Mickelson, is he wrong? He wasnt being disrespectful. He was just answering a question honestly.
  
  As others have suggested, slow news day and comments blown out of all proportion because it makes good copy for the media.
  
  Reply Report comment
- AJ
  
  Sep 11, 2014 at 6:36 am
  
  You sir (Fred), are a fool.
  
  If you were Rory, you would be playing professional golf for a handsome living, regarded as the best in the world and a 4 x major champion at the age of 25.
  
  You would be quite happy with your lot and as winner of the last two major championships, very confident about your next 10-15 years on tour.
  
  You may also humbly suggest (as he did, with a lot of ‘class’) that Phil and Tiger wont dominate in the same way now than previously – or even be in the top 30 golfers for the year – because they are both getting on a bit.
  
  Still, I’m sure he’s really hurt by an anonymous comment posted on an internet forum.
  
  Reply Report comment
ally smith

Sep 10, 2014 at 7:14 pm

sad to say he has a point. theres a shelf life to pro athletes and prolonging longevity is the key, look at Miguel Angel H. hope tiger and the rest learn from “the most interesting man in the world”
Cheers All

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STEVE

Sep 10, 2014 at 6:06 pm

TALK ABOUT IT MONDAY MORNING NOT WEDNESDAY.

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