Four-time major victor Rory McIlroy’s comments on Tuesday about how the sport needs to improve its doping policy grabbed headlines on the eve of The Open at Royal Troon.
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The Australian suffered a near-miss previous year when he ended up in a share of fourth place at St Andrews.
TROON, Scotland (AP) – Rory McIlroy still considers himself a full-fledged member of the Fab Four.
Unlike McIlroy, Johnson got it out with one swing, the ball stopping about 12 feet past the flag.
The 27-year-old was replaced at the top of the world rankings after he returned to action in the US PGA Championship and has since slipped to fourth behind Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson and Jason Day, but gave short shrift to the suggestion in one newspaper that he was in danger of becoming Ringo Starr in golf’s version of the “Fab Four”.
A course like Troon is never going to let players get away with just one nightmare hole, and some may wish they were back on the eighth tee once they get a look at 11.
The jug for the a year ago belonged to Johnson, who poured wine from it one last time on Sunday night at a house he is sharing with players.
“I’ve never played it before, so I’ve been watching flyover videos on YouTube to see what to expect”. “I’d love to lift it a few times – but really you only have to lift it once to feel you’ve fulfilled your potential”.
He’s even more eager to add another major title to his trophy case.
His playoff success at the expense of Ernie Els, who had won it two years earlier at Muirfield in a four-way shootout, followed first-time wins at Troon by Mark Calcavecchia (1989) and Justin Leonard (1997).
The four-time major victor didn’t seem all that concerned about the perception of his decision, which he said was made on the basis of the possibility of catching Zika virus, as well other health concerns in Rio de Janeiro.
The unexpected certainly happened at the Masters and U.S. Open.
As for Spieth, who won two majors in 2015, his message was simple. “It’s ‘The Open Championship of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.’ If it’s The Open Championship, it could be the U.S. Open, the Australian Open, the Japanese Open”.
“But I said “I’m going to try to make you jealous and go down there and get gold”. “Great, young talents carrying it and pushing it”. I feel like obviously my game is in a little better form this year, hopefully. He’s still only 27, an enormous talent who surely has some of his best golf still in front of him. “All of which means it is possible for these elite players to have a putt for eagle on six of the first seven holes”. “I didn’t get into golf to get other people into the game”.
“You guys have put that out without me saying it”.
“I’m sure I’ll call it the British Open and get pounded for it”, McGirt said.
If he plays his best, will he win this week?
McIlroy has other things on his mind as well.
“For those players that are in the registered testing pool for the Olympics there is the IGF (International Golf Federation) additional testing that is being carried out during this week”.
Australian Day has finished in the top 10 in each of his past five majors, which included his US PGA Championship victory at Whistling Straits a year ago. “I don’t think it would be appropriate given our decision on the Olympics”.
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“I don’t feel like I’m defending the title this year”. I got into golf to win championships and win major championships, and all of a sudden you get to this point and there is a responsibility on you to grow the game, and I get that. He has placed in the top 10 in the last five major championships, including one win.
