News

McIlroy withdraws from Honda Classic

Published

11 years ago

Mar 1, 2013

Defending Honda Classic winner Rory McIlroy withdrew from the Honda Classic after an ugly start to Friday’s second round.

McIlroy, who is ranked No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings, was 7-over through 8 holes, and withdrew after hitting his second shot on the par-5 18th (his ninth hole of the day) into the water.

“I sincerely apologize to The Honda Classic and PGA Tour for my sudden withdrawal,” McIlroy said in a statement after the round. “I have been suffering with a sore wisdom tooth, which is due to come out in the near future. It began bothering me again last night, so I relieved it with Advil. It was very painful again this morning, and I was simply unable to concentrate. It was really bothering me and had begun to affect my playing partners. I came here with every intention of defending my Honda Classic title. Even though my results haven’t revealed it, I really felt like I was rounding a corner. This is one of my favorite tournaments of the year and I regret having to make the decision to withdraw, but it was one I had to make.”

The PGA Tour requires that players have a medical reason for withdrawing from a tournament. According to ESPN.com, McIlroy told reporters briefly in the parking lot that “I’m not in a great place mentally. I can’t really say much, guys. I’m just in a bad place mentally.”

McIlroy’s equipment change from Titleist to Nike has made him the subject of constant speculation in 2013. So far, he has only played 80 holes of tournament with the new clubs — he missed the cut in his first event, the HSBC Abu Dhabi Championship, and was eliminated by the No. 62-ranked player in the OWGR, Shane Lowry, in the first round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship last week.

McIlroy is currently slated to play in the WGC-Cadillac Championship next week at Doral.

Click here for more discussion in the “Tour Talk” forum.

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25 Comments

bootscrilla

Mar 2, 2013 at 11:43 am

I (was) a huge Rory fan but he has lost all respect from me. You are getting paid 25 MILLION dollars a year (just from Nike!) and you quit because you’re playing bad and “your tooth hurts?” Come on dude..If I was getting paid even a fraction of that to play golf, I would fulfill my obligation and finish the round no matter what! Do your job that you’re getting paid an extreme amount of money to do, even if it means missing the cut by a mile. Play through the pain AND THEN tell the reporters you’re not in a good place mentally. Sorry but this really pisses me off..

Reply Report comment
- donald davis
  
  Mar 3, 2013 at 12:58 am
  
  Wow. boneheaded move. The pr people are working overtime on this one. Gut it out , miss the cut and move on . The press and fans love to pile on stories like this . Rory does not seem comfortable with the number one in the world spot. Look back over the past 10 years and see how long players lasted at number 1. Tiger handled it the best till he cracked up. This is a opportunity for Rory to prove if he can handle number one. We will be watching . p.s. I pay full boat for my equipment and have never kept nike equipment for long.
  
  Reply Report comment
Dane

Mar 2, 2013 at 11:00 am

I can see switching equipment taking some time to get used to…new ball new heads same shafts made just like his old ones, maybe costing a shot or two a round…but +7 after 8? There’s something much bigger then equipment going on here…he’s 23 and found a female, I think we all can attest to a girl distracting us at some point in our lives.

Reply Report comment
- brokeinorlando
  
  Mar 2, 2013 at 11:37 am
  
  HERE HERE! Enjoy the youth Rory!!!!!
  
  Reply Report comment
notsohard

Mar 2, 2013 at 12:19 am

sore tooth…..what a load of crock.

Reply Report comment
V

Mar 1, 2013 at 7:50 pm

@Andrew: Faith has everything to do with golf doesn’t it. Because Tiger was such a religious man when he breeze through Major Championships? Because Fowler and Crane are shining beacons of achievement in golf? Give me a break.

Mental strength and religious faith are very very very different things.

Reply Report comment
mbc

Mar 1, 2013 at 6:09 pm

Just finish and miss the cut, simple, but don’e quit.

Reply Report comment
Shanna Carson

Mar 1, 2013 at 6:03 pm

I agree with Rory McIlroy’s decision to withdraws from the Honda Classic. He was simply not able to concentrate and didn’t want to affect his playing partners. It’s definitely better to apologize for a sudden withdrawal than having to apologize for a poor performance. So he took the right decision in my opinion.

Reply Report comment
- bootscrilla
  
  Mar 2, 2013 at 11:47 am
  
  I see your point, but I highly doubt he would’ve affected them by making bogies or even doubles. He only had half of the round left, work through the pain and finish. If this tooth pain isn’t a lie, he would’ve had pain relievers in the bag I’m sure. Take some just to get through the round.
  
  Reply Report comment
footwedge

Mar 1, 2013 at 4:27 pm

He hit some beautiful drives and irons, even with his mental game being out of sorts. Personal and/or health issues to resolve; who cares, he’s human and imperfect. Some of the judge and jury posters need to get over themselves.

Can’t wait to see Rory back in action and firing on all cylinders.

Reply Report comment
Rroy

Mar 1, 2013 at 4:04 pm

He is all over the golf course with the new equipment. To have gone from laser approach shots to missing greens by yards tells all. Maybe he should play a practice round with the Titleist clubs and see what happens. Candy apple red driver. Come on! Who is the target of this marketing tactic?

Reply Report comment
- G
  
  Mar 1, 2013 at 5:49 pm
  
  ” Who is the target of this marketing tactic?”
  
  Little boys and girls.
  
  Reply Report comment
- bootscrilla
  
  Mar 2, 2013 at 11:36 am
  
  Couldn’t agree more, a lot of the new drivers literally look like toy clubs
  
  Reply Report comment
RMHampel

Mar 1, 2013 at 2:47 pm

Wow, a lot of lucky people here who’ve never suffered from dental pain. Trust me, an infected/impacted wisdom tooth will make your head throb so bad you wish you could just lay down and die to be rid of the pain. Try playing top level golf with that.

That said, the switch to Nike really isn’t likely a big deal. He played forged blades with Titleist and he’s playing forged blades with Nike. How much different could they really be?

Reply Report comment
- G
  
  Mar 1, 2013 at 5:48 pm
  
  It anything “feels” slightly different, it’s probably differently enough to obviously not be confident to go at it. Even if they are forged, they probably feel way different. Including the forged titanium driver heads – and the Nike one he’s using with the hollow back is very different to the Titty one he was using before. And we’re seeing the effects of all that, obviously. I’m sure the ball is doing weird stuff too.
  
  Reply Report comment
- G
  
  Mar 1, 2013 at 5:49 pm
  
  Oh and lets not forget the putter debacle from his first tournament.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Colin Gillbanks
    
    Mar 4, 2013 at 7:51 am
    
    “Putter debacle” ?!
    
    We’re not overreacting at all here are we?
    
    He changed to a heavier putter to cope with slower greens in Dubai than he’d been used to in his practice in the states. It happens.
    
    The media ‘change in equipment’ obsession with Mcilroy is beyonda joke now. The kid has lost his form. Simple as that.
    
    Reply Report comment
- ProAm Duffer
  
  Mar 2, 2013 at 10:54 am
  
  @RMHampel: Yes we have all been there with that in fact several times.
  But how do you explain him munching on that huge sandwich walking down the 18th F/W minutes before he quit????
  
  Reply Report comment
  - brokeinorlando
    
    Mar 2, 2013 at 11:34 am
    
    I noticed that too. I think Rory is too wealthy to get mentally correct right now. No motivation + no work ethic= no game.
    He is a talent and will get it back when he commits again. He can score with any club in his hands if he is focused.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Yoyo
  
  Mar 4, 2013 at 10:22 pm
  
  If he really had dental pain, then why was he caught eating a sandwich before he eventually withdrew? based on the picture it seemed he didnt have any trouble eating it.
  
  External Link: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/mcilroy-walks-off-course-dropping-seven-shots-165400992–golf.html
  
  Reply Report comment
blopar

Mar 1, 2013 at 1:14 pm

If he has had a sore wisdom tooth, that’s a simople problem that for 200 million to play Nike he should have had taken care of during his layoff earlier this winter. I think this is B.S. and the problem is his switch from Titleist to Nike—as I predicted would be a problem in this very same comments section months ago when it was first announced. Greed never pays!!!

Reply Report comment
- Trevor
  
  Mar 1, 2013 at 2:07 pm
  
  I agree with you on this. I think he is having a heck of a time trying to get used to the change and I don’t mean just equipment.
  
  I believe they’ve moved to quickly with that 200 million check. He should have spent another year as #1 with his old equipment and lifestyle and then made a move when he is more mature. From my point of view he is not ready for this.
  
  Reply Report comment
Andrew

Mar 1, 2013 at 12:33 pm

Something is going on…can’t wait for it to come out. Just like Dustin Johnson “hurt his back” lifting a jetski but really went to rehab. Everyone gets carried away with the money, confidence, and spotlight, just a matter of time. Props to Bubba, Fowler, Ben Crane etc for staying strong in their faith.

Reply Report comment
Mitch

Mar 1, 2013 at 11:57 am

NIKE GOLF: Just Do it………But if you can’t do it, make up some dumb excuse

Reply Report comment
dapadre

Mar 1, 2013 at 11:30 am

Only HE knows if this is the REAL reason. I have my doubts to be honest, but lets give him the benefit of the doubt. If it was a question of mental breakdown of just non confidence in his new clubs, he is in for HELL in Agusta. There will be no excuses there, at a place his past ghosts are lurking. Golf is a great game which I love dearly, but those that play know that its a MIND GAME.

Reply Report comment

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News

Morning 9: Rory: I’m not joining LIV | Masters ratings | Nelly: We just need a stage

Published

7 hours ago

Apr 17, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Wednesday morning, golf fans, as we gear up to this week’s RBC Heritage.

1. Rory: I’m not going to LIV

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach…McIlroy said neither he nor his agents have ever discussed a potential deal to lure him to the LIV Golf League, which is being financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

“I honestly don’t know how these things get started,” McIlroy told Golf Channel while on the practice range at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, the site of this week’s RBC Heritage. “I’ve never been offered a number from LIV, and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV. Again, I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years that I don’t think it’s something for me.

“It doesn’t mean that I judge people who have went and played over there. I think one of the things that I have realized over the past two years is that people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves, and who are we to judge them for that? But personally, for me, my future is here on the PGA Tour, and it’s never been any different.”

Full piece.

2. Masters ratings down

Yahoo’s Jay Busbee…”Ratings for the full Masters week are now out, and 2024’s version ranks as the lowest since the COVID-impacted years of 2020 and 2021. There was a brief moment when four players shared the lead at the 2024 Masters, but Scottie Scheffler took care of business quickly enough and strolled to what qualifies as an “easy” Masters victory — a four-stroke triumph that wasn’t in doubt for most of the second nine.”

“Perhaps as a result, Sunday’s final round averaged 9.59 million viewers on CBS, according to Sports Media Watch, a 22.8% decline from last year’s 12.06 million. Scheffler’s win two years ago averaged 10.17 million viewers. Worth noting: Sunday’s final round was down 20 percent against last year’s victory by Jon Rahm, but last year’s final round fell on Easter Sunday, which created a significantly higher out-of-home percentage of viewers — 21 percent in 2023, as opposed to 9 percent this year.”

Full piece.

3. Chevron gets purse boost

Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols…“Chevron’s commitment to the LPGA went a step higher on Tuesday with the announcement of a purse increase to $7.9 million in 2024. The move brings the tour’s first major in line with the purses of other championships. The U.S. Women’s Open purse of $12 million paces the tour, with the KPMG Women’s PGA second at $10 million. The AIG Women’s British Open purse checks in at $9 million while Amundi Evian is $6.5 million.”

“Chevron, which moved the event away from Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, to Texas, last year, has increased the purse by $4.8 million since assuming title sponsorship in 2022. The company has committed to title sponsor the event through 2029.”

Full piece.

4. Shipley on “notegate”

Alex Myers for Golf Digest…”So what was up with “notegate”? During his hilarious spot with McAfee, Shipley reiterated there was no note from Woods, and that he was only looking at the moderator because he was so confused where the question was coming from:

“I looked over at the moderator like ‘Who the hell is this guy?'” Shipley says in the clip. “Because it just didn’t happen. I was so confused and so shocked in the moment.”

Full piece.

5. Nelly: We just need a stage

Iain Carter for the BBC…”Korda is the first American to win four consecutive tournaments on the LPGA since Lopez won five straight 46 years ago. This astonishing streak made the then rookie front page material for Sports Illustrated.

“Korda’s feats have yet to transcend the golfing village, and perhaps that suits her as she “tries to stay in my bubble”. But the American Solheim Cup player does recognise that more could be done to tell the increasingly compelling story of women’s golf.”

“I feel like we just need a stage,” she told reporters here at Carlton Woods just north of Houston. “We need to be put on TV.

“I feel like when it’s tape delay, or anything like that, that hurts our game. Women’s sports just needs a stage. If we have a stage we can show up and perform and show people what we’re all about.”

Full piece.

6. Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage

Check out all of our galleries from this week’s event!

Full piece.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage

Published

1 day ago

Apr 16, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.

We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.

We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.

Check out links to all our photos, below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

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News

Morning 9: Aberg: I want to be No. 1 | Rory’s management blasts ‘fake news’ reports

Published

1 day ago

Apr 16, 2024

Ben Alberstadt

By Ben Alberstadt with Gianni Magliocco.

For comments: [email protected]

Good Tuesday morning, golf fans, as we look back at the Masters while looking ahead to this week’s RBC Heritage.

1. Shane Ryan: Appreciate Scottie’s greatness

Golf Digest’s Shane Ryan…”This is what’s called generational talent, and we haven’t seen it in almost 20 years. Steve Stricker read the tea leaves when he picked Scheffler for the 2021 Ryder Cup—a decision that was richly rewarded—and starting in 2022, he was off to the races. The only hiccup was a few putting woes last year, but even that only served to highlight how remarkable his ball-striking had become—instead of winning, he was finishing third. When he fixed the putting, with help from a new coach and a bit of equipment advice from Rory McIlroy, he soared yet again to the top of the game, but this time he seemed more indomitable, more inevitable, more brilliant.”

“The sustained success of the last three years has officially made him the best professional golfer since Tiger Woods, a conclusion supported by analytics, the eye test, and every other metric you could dream up. With fewer majors, he has nevertheless leaped past Spieth, McIlroy, and Koepka in terms of pure ability. He doesn’t have their legacy, yet, but if we’re talking about peak performance, he’s already surpassed them.”

“He’s so much better than everyone else, which is a sentiment that is both commonplace—I saw it on Twitter over and over again—and revelatory. It’s the thing you say because there is nothing else to say. You’re left with the wild truth, which words can describe but never capture.”

Full piece.

2. Aberg: I want to be No. 1

The AFP’s Simon Evans…”The 24-year-old finished second, four strokes behind winner Scottie Scheffler, after carding a final round 69 but he certainly won many admirers among the patrons at Augusta National and beyond.”

“And his performance has filled Aberg with self-belief.”

“Everyone in my position, they are going to want to be major champions. They are going to want to be world number one, and it’s the same for me, that’s nothing different,” he said.

“It has been that way ever since I picked up a golf club, and that hasn’t changed. So I think this week solidifies a lot of those things are there, and we just need to keep doing those things and put ourselves in positions to win tournaments, ” he said.

Full piece.

3. Homa’s honest answer on double bogey

Golf Channel staff report…”But Homa’s tee shot at No. 12 bounded off the putting surface and into a bush. After a healthy search, Homa found his ball and had to take an unplayable lie. He made double bogey, effectively ending his bid at a maiden major title.”

“Homa tied for third, seven shots back of Scheffler. Asked about what happened on the fateful 9-iron, Homa offered two replies.”

“The honest answer is, it didn’t feel fair. I hit a really good golf shot, and it didn’t feel fair. I’ve seen far worse just roll back down the hill,” he said.

“The professional answer is, these things happen.”

Full piece.

4. Harbour Town ahead

RBC Heritage field notes, via Adam Stanley of PGATour.com…”Scottie Scheffler is, for now, set to tee it up at the RBC Heritage. He was clear to say that if his wife, Meredith, would go into labor during the Masters, he would head home to be with her, so it’s safe to assume that same rule will stand at Harbour Town. Scheffler has not shot an over-par round all season and has three victories (and one runner-up). He made his debut at Harbour Town last year and finished T11… Matt Fitzpatrick looks to become the first golfer to go back-to-back at the RBC Heritage since Boo Weekley in 2007-08. Fitzpatrick, a playoff victor last year, has two top-10 finishes this season. He has just one missed cut at Harbour Town over the last six years and he finished fourth in 2021 to go along with two more top-15 results in a three-year span (T14 in 2018 and 2020)…”

“Jordan Spieth is hoping to continue his run of fine play at Harbour Town after a playoff loss last season and a playoff win the season prior. Spieth has five top-25 finishes at the RBC Heritage in seven starts… Justin Thomas earned a spot in the field after remaining in the top 30 (he’s No. 30) in the Official World Golf Ranking despite a missed cut at the Masters. Thomas, who finished T25 last season at Harbour Town, has two top 10s on the season… Ludvig Åberg, who is tops in the Aon Next 10, will head to Hilton Head for the first time. Åberg has had a fabulous 2024 campaign thus far with four top 10s (including two runner-up results) and is knocking on the door for a victory… Hideki Matsuyama was the only eligible player who did not commit to the RBC Heritage, while Viktor Hovland – after a missed cut at the Masters – withdrew from the field on Saturday.”

Full piece.

5. Reed’s caddie’s needle

Our Matt Vincenzi…”After a particularly bad drive during his third round on Saturday, Reed’s caddie, Kessler Karain, also his brother-in-law, made a snide but factual comment to Patrick.”

“Your driving has cost us a lot this week,” Karain remarked.

“Reed didn’t disagree and told reporters after the round that there was nothing good about his round…

“A reporter then asked: “It’s a good thing he’s a family member, right?”

“Yeah, exactly. I’d probably be dragging him up that last hole,” Reed said. “I swear.Just what you want to hear as you’re looking at the ball in the tree, and he goes, ‘You need to drive it better.’ Thanks, Kessler. I appreciate it. Great words of wisdom. Drive it better.”

“This may be the last major for Reed for a while, as the 33-year-old has not been invited nor qualified for next month’s PGA Championship.”

Full piece.

6. LIV wants Hovland next?

Ewan Murray for the Guardian…”Rising speculation that Viktor Hovland will be the next high-profile golfer to be coaxed to the LIV tour will increase the need for Ryder Cup Europe to apply a simple qualification process for golfers on the Saudi Arabian-backed circuit.”

“LIV is forging ahead with plans for 2025, which include new events and the recruitment of more players from the PGA and DP World Tours. The rate of turnover is likely to be increased by the number of golfers who had three-year contracts when joining LIV, which will expire at the end of 2024.”

“Chatter on the range at the LIV event in Miami this month and again at the Masters largely surrounded Hovland, the world No 6 who starred for Europe in the defeat of the United States in Rome last year. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, who also played in that team, have subsequently joined LIV. Hovland missed the cut at the Masters and promptly withdrew from the PGA Tour’s $20m stop in Hilton Head this week.”

Full piece.

7. Rory’s management: LIV reports are ‘fake news’

Brian Keogh for the Irish Independent…”A report that Rory McIlroy was on the verge of an $850million move to LIV Golf has been slammed as “fake news” by his management.

“Fake news. Zero truth,” McIlroy’s manager Sean O’Flaherty said in an email.

London financial paper “City AM” reported today that sources have told them that McIlroy “could” join LIV Golf

The paper reported that “two separate sources have told City AM that they believe a deal is close. It is claimed that LIV Golf chiefs have offered world No2 McIlroy an eye-watering $850m to join, plus around two per cent equity in the competition.”

Full piece.