RORY: IF TIGER QUITS HE’LL GO OUT A LEGEND
RORY McILROY reckons Tiger Woods made golf “cool” and says he’ll always be the greatest.
Injury-plagued Woods, who has won 14 Majors, says there’s a chance he may never play again.
And McIlroy says that if his childhood hero does have to call it quits, he can walk away “with his head held high.”
McIlroy (right, with Tiger) spoke after carding a first-round threeunder-par 67 at the British Masters at Close House in Northumberland, putting him four behind England’s Tyrrell Hatton and South Africa’s George Coetzee.
“I have spent a bit of time with Tiger over the past few months and he’s waiting on doctors to tell him when he can do things again,” said McIlroy.
“But if he doesn’t play again, he’s been the greatest player I’ve ever seen. He probably played the greatest golf anyone in my lifetime has seen.
“I didn’t really see Jack Nicklaus play. Jack has a better record but I don’t know if he played better golf. If this is it, Tiger doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. He can walk away from this game with his head held high because he’s done wonders for this game. “I don’t think there’s a single figure in golf who did more in terms of bringing different groups of people into the game, different ethnicities and different age groups.
“He made golf cool in the 90s when it really needed an injection of something.
“So he’s a legend of the game and, if this is it, then everyone should just applaud what a great career he’s had.”
Lee Westwood shot a four-under 66 at his home club and said: “The crowds have been amazing.”