MIAMI:
World number three Rory McIlroy vowed to turn his focus away from sports politics and back to the game after he missed the cut at the Players Championship on Saturday.
McIlroy ended his second round in trouble on Saturday, carding a 73 that put him atop the five together to make it to the final two rounds of the competition.
The Northern Irishman is the most prominent rival of the LIV Golf League competition and has played a major role in the PGA Tour’s meetings to reschedule the tournament for next season.
But the 33-year-old said it was “fair” to say the focus outside the classroom had taken its toll.
“I’d love to get back to being a golfer,” he said. “Look, most weeks are busy and to be honest, it’s a very busy six or eight months, but now everything is announced in time.” now, and the wheels are mounted, it must be kept quiet. from here.”
Of the PGA Tour It was announced last week that the new year’s schedule would feature eight “special events” with limited terrain, no cuts and big bags, and McIlroy was the keynote speaker selling those. changes.
Although his troubles at TPC Sawgrass were caused by his driving, he said the troubles did not help him in any way.
“It’s just time management. Golfing out there is good, but just spending a lot of time at home to make sure you’re ready, make sure you’re you are doing everything you can to be ready when you come. these weeks,” said McIlroy.
“That’s where I probably sacrificed a little bit of time on some of these things. Like I said, I’m ready to get back to being a golfer.”
Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley told the Golf Channel that he felt McIlroy handled his extra responsibilities well but his game showed signs of weakness.
“One of the aspects of his golf over the last 14 months has been his ability to focus. We admire this from afar, and everything is happening with him front and center. It’s amazing. what he accomplished,” McGinley said.
“I think Rory is tired and the battery is down. We’ve seen some stupidity from him here and that’s a sign you’re not focused.”
The Irishman suggested that McIlroy’s work should be shared in support of the recovery of the PGA Tour.
“It’s not Rory’s Tour, it’s not Tiger’s Tour. It’s not (commissioner) Jay Monahan’s Tour,” McGinley said.
“This tournament is run by the players, and if this is going to work and these ‘new things’ are going to work, everyone has to get behind it.
“It is not possible to have only one of them and let him take all the bullets, everyone must be there to support and take this ship forward” .
However, it may be difficult for McIlroy to avoid the topic of tournament competition in his next major at Augusta National next month.
Unlike the players, PGA Tour players will compete on the same field as LIV players at the Masters.
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