Is McIlroy’s dad happy? You bet
HOYLAKE, ENGLAND — THERE YOU GO, DAD: Not that Rory McIlroy’s stardom wasn’t predicted, but his father put his money where his mouth was.
According to the BBC’s Andrew Cotter, 10 years ago Gerry McIlroy and three friends made a legal bet of 400 British pounds (100 each, equivalent to $183.40 Canadian) at odds of 500/1 that the then-15-year-old would win the Open by age 25, i.e., before he turns 26.
McIlroy was 25 years, 2 months and 16 days old Sunday, meaning each of the wagerers should collect 50,000 pounds ($91,700).
“Honestly, that 50 grand that he’s going to win is ... I mean, the other three friends that he did that with, they’re going to be very happy,” McIlroy said Sunday evening. “He’s never reminded me. I knew that he’d done it. I’m not sure if it will pay out. If it does, it’s a nice little bonus.”
EYES ARE SMILING: McIlroy’s victory made it, incredibly, five wins for Northern Ireland players in the last 19 majors, dating back to the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach: three by McIlroy, one each by Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke. Not bad for a country with a population of 1.8 million.
Throw in three by Ire- land’s Padraig Harrington, back-to-back Open wins in 2007 and 2008 and his ’08 PGA title, and ... “It’s the golden generation,” said McDowell, as McIlroy was a couple of holes away from finishing. “Eight major championships. We’re assuming he’s getting this done, here. Lis- ten, s— t happens. But eight major championships. It’s added something to the pot. With the Open Championship announcement (for Royal Portrush in 2019), and if Rory gets it done here today, it’s pretty exciting times.”
TAKE A HIKE: McIlroy was in the middle of his tee shot at the par-five 16th when a disturbance behind him made him turn and scowl, though his drive went long and straight.
He pointed to the offending spectator, and police hauled him away.
“He was giving me grief all day, actually. And I sort of put up with it for the first 15 holes, and then he deliberately coughed on my downswing on the 16th tee. I still hit a great drive. But I heard it halfway down and I knew who it was,” McIlroy said. “So I turned around and got him chucked out, thankfully.”
OVER TO YOU, TOM: After the applause died down from his closing 68 Sunday, Tom Watson had to field questions about the fellow he beat by seven shots in the final round of the Open Championship. Some fella named Tiger.
Woods didn’t do himself a lot of good in his campaign to be a captain’s pick on Watson’s Ryder Cup team, finishing 69th among the 72 players who made the cut.
Watson, at age 64, was five strokes better than Woods on the week.
“It’s just one day. It’s a snapshot. It’s not a big deal,” Watson said of Tiger’s 75. He said he definitely is not going to automatically pick Woods or Phil Mickelson, who at least showed some life Sunday shooting 68 to finish fiveunder-par.