Rory McIlroy is not normally full of cheer after finishing fifth, but here at the Olympic tournament he called it “the best tournament I’ve ever played in apart from the Ryder Cup”.
McIlroy, who as an Ulsterman exercises his right to represent Ireland in the Games, was within one of the lead when he stood in the middle of the 15th fairway with a wedge in his hand and, after reeling off five birdies in the preceding five holes, confirmed that “all I was thinking about was gold at the stage”.
However, the world No 3 found the water in front of the green and the resulting double-bogey saw him tumble away, eventually finishing four behind Scottie Scheffler, who pipped Tommy Fleetwood to gold. In Tokyo, he was beaten in play-off for the bronze and this was another close call. Yet he was in a positive mood because of the success of the week as a whole for his sport.
“It’s been amazing,” McIlroy said after a 66 took him to 15-under. “We were talking about it out there and Nico [Hojgaard, his playing partner in the final round] reckons it’s the best tournament he’s ever been involved in, and he’s played a Ryder Cup.
“I still think that the Ryder Cup is the best tournament that we have in our game, pure competition, but I do think this has the potential to be right up there with it. Think how much of a s—show the game of golf is right now and then think about the two tournaments that might be the purest form of competition in our sport, we don’t play for money in it. So it speaks volumes for what’s important in sports and what’s important, I think every single player this week has had an amazing experience.”
Of course, McIlroy has been heavily involved in the negotiations between the PGA Tour and the breakaway LIV Golf circuit as the warring parties attempt to reach a peace deal to unify the sport. In the midst of this sporting civil war, prize money has gone through the clubhouse roof as they both try to entice the big names.
McIlroy not only believes it is unsustainable but also reckons fans are being turned off because of the ridiculous sums. Progress has apparently been made in the deal-making, but McIlroy remains far from confident that a resolution will be announced any time soon. “There’s so many golf tournaments and not enough weeks in the calendar,” he said. “Something needs to give.”
McIlroy, 35, will stay in Paris until Tuesday with wife Erica to attempt to watch a few Olympics event. “This has been my first Games where it’s felt like an Olympic Games, I guess,” he said. “We weren’t able to interact with any other athletes in Tokyo because of Covid. To be able to go to some of the other events and to feel the spirit of the Olympics and what it’s all about and having dozens and dozens of athletes come from all over the word to compete in their individual sports and to be a part of that, it’s been really cool.”
McIlroy will soon be back into competition. He will tee it up at the start of the three-week FedEx Cup play-offs in Memphis in 10 days time. When he missed the cut at last month’s US Open, it meant that he gone the full decade without adding to his major haul of four. He recognises there is urgency.
“I feel like I’ve been golf’s nearly man for the last three years,” he said. “ I obviously want that tide to turn and go from the nearly man to back to winning golf tournaments. It’s all well and good saying I’m close and close and close. Once I actually step through the threshold and turn these near misses and close calls into wins, that’s what I need to do.”
