YOU’RE A LEGEND TIGER
GOLF BRITISH MASTERS Rory: No player has done more for golf than Woods, if he quits now he’ll NEVER be forgotten
RORY McILROY reckons Tiger Woods can walk away from golf with his head held high if he is unable to return to competitive action.
Woods has not played since withdrawing from the Dubai Desert Classic at the start of February and is recovering from a fourth back operation in the last three years.
And despite giving a positive update on his fitness just five days earlier the American admitted his career could be over during a press conference on Wednesday ahead of the Presidents Cup where he is an assistant captain.
When asked if it was a possibility the 14-time major winner said:“Yes, definitely. I don’t know what the future holds.”
Speaking after an opening 67 in the British Masters, McIlroy said: “Only he knows whether he can do it and he’s taking it slowly.
“I spent a bit of time with him over the past few months and he’s waiting on his doctors to tell him when he can do things again. He’s going to take their advice and not be maybe quite as stubborn as he was maybe back in the day.
“But if he doesn’t play again he has 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 he doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone.
“He can walk away from this game with his head held extremely high and he has done wonders for this game.
“I don’t think there’s a single figure in golf who did more for the game in terms of bringing different groups of people into the game, different ethnicities, different age groups, 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 everyone should just applaud what a great career he has had.”
A relaxed McIlroy made the most of a little help from his friends as he tries to end a disappointing season in style in the British Masters.
The Northern Irishman, who was a late entry into the £3million event after failing to qualify for the Tour Championship, shot three under to lie four shots behind leaders Tyrrell Hatton and George Coetzee at Close House.
But it could have been a different story for the four-time Major winner if a spectator had not found his ball inside the five-minute time limit after a wild drive on the 17th, his eighth hole of the day.
McIlroy produced a superb recovery from thick rough to the green and went on to make three birdies on the front nine in his penultimate tournament of an injury-plagued season which the former world No.1 will bring to an early end after next week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The 28-year-old said: “It’s not a bad way to feel. You’re not really looking ahead at anything, you’re just concentrating on the round and not thinking about much else.
Speaking about the 17th McIlroy said: “I’ve hit a few destructive tee shots like that over the past few weeks just by going for it.”
Tournament host Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Matt Fitzpatrick, Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter all shot 66.
Richie Ramsay was the best of the Scots finishing on 67 while Scott Jamieson shot a 68. Stephen Gallacher fired a 69 that was one better than Marc Warren while David Drysdale ended on 71.
SHAWFIELD DOGS
Race 1 – 480m – 8pm 11T Parkgate Connie, Scr 144 Toolmaker Delite, 3m 42T Unlikely Bailey, 7m -TT Trap The Kat, 7m 353 Westend Mick, 13m Betting 2/1 3/1 3/1 6/4 3/1. 4-1-3
Race 2 – 480m 122 Woodville Thelma, Scr 30.00 313 Romeo Icardi, 2m 30.14 144 Ennis Mikey, 2m 30.25 555 Toolmaker Kite, 4m 30.05 TT2 Playing Game, 7m 30.38 Betting 3/1 3/1 3/1 5/2 5/2. 4-5-1
Race 3 – 480m 423 Tristar, Scr 152 Toolmaker Flight, 2m 512 Killkeran Gone, 4m 314 Race On Spice, 6m 543 Graigues Azera, 6m Betting 3/1 5/2 3/1 3/1 2/1. 5-3-2
Race 4 – 480m 432 Balboa Batman, Scr 30.10 T14 Ellaal, 3m 30.06 434 Lynx Sierra, 3m 30.05 443 Toolmaker Sonic, 5m 30.08 221 Swift Haley, 10m 30.08 Betting 5/2 3/1 3/1 5/2 3/1. 4-2-3
Race 5 – 480m Elaines Book, Scr Toolmaker Sir, 2m 412 154 29.83 3002 29.93 30.14 29.72 30.14 29.97 29.98 29.92 29.91 30.11 30.03 534 Colossal Gent, 4m 234 Killkeran Go On, 5m 3T5 Princessario, 7m Betting 5/2 2/1 3/1 3/1 3/1. 4-3-2
Race 6 – 480m 321 Gavins Snowy, Scr 111 Buckfast Mel, Scr 134 Whos Rita, 3m 553 Toolmaker Star, 3m 224 Joe Soap, 8m Beting 3/1 3/1 3/1 5/2 2/1. 1-3-5
Race 7 – 480m 442 Cinder Lady, Scr 346 Monagore Judy, 2m 154 Toolmaker Hawk, 5m 5T5 Soviet Temptress, 5m 311 Summervile Lass, 5m Betting 2/1 3/1 5/2 5/2 3/1. 4-2-1
Race 8 – 480m 625 Athboy Dubh, Scr 344 Hightown Hill, 3m 511 Fenceside Nidge, 5m 522 Parknahown Nell, 5m 213 Whos Ella, 8m Betting 5/2 3/1 5/2 3/1 3/1. 2-1-5 30.05 30.13 30.25 29.82 30.04 29.79 29.88 29.83 29.88 30.00 29.95 29.88 30.00 29.74 29.87 30.02 29.86 29.89 Reserves - Toolmaker Raedon Shawfield Treble Trap The Kat Toolmaker Sonic Soviet Temptress