Before competing on the world’s biggest stage at the Paris Olympics, Rory McIlroy took to the greens and fairways of a historic golf course in order to prepare.
On Monday, McIlroy was spotted playing a casual round at The Old Course at St Andrews. Footage posted to social media captured the 35-year-old hitting blistering tee shots on holes 12 and 16, as well as engaging in playful banter with the reported 100-200 fans that gathered to watch him play.
In response to one raucous American who was singing McIlroy’s praises, the Northern Irishman hilariously clapped back, “You’re not gonna love us next year!” in reference to the 2025 Ryder Cup.
McIlroy’s current focus, however, is centred around the Olympics men’s tournament, which kicks off on Thursday at Le Golf National. On the heels of several tumultuous weeks, he would surely benefit from a strong performance – and perhaps even a gold medal – in Paris.
Back in June, McIlroy suffered an agonising defeat at the US Open, blowing a two-shot lead over eventual champion Bryson DeChambeau with five holes remaining. The world No. 3 golfer subsequently announced he’d be momentarily stepping away from the sport, but returned in time for the Genesis Scottish Open, in which he tied for fourth place.
But McIlroy struggled to find similar success at the Open Championship earlier this month, suffering through a miserable couple of days at Royal Troon before missing the cut. He finished 11 over-par through 36 holes and five shots below the cut line, while his rounds of 78-74 marked the worst two-round total he’s recorded at a major since the 2013 Open Championship.
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Might not simulate what awaits him at Le Golf National for the Olympics, but Rory McIlroy soothed the golf nerd soul out at The Old Course today for a casual round. We’re told 100-200 people waited around the 18th green but he was left alone on the way around by the usual unfazed… pic.twitter.com/cE1EN3e5Jm
— Fried Egg Golf (@fried_egg_golf) July 29, 2024
Speaking to reporters on the heels of his early exit, McIlroy conceded that his heart wasn’t fully in the Open once he buried himself in too deep of a hole thanks to a poor start.
“I think once I made the eight on the fourth hole, that was it,” he said. 22 holes into the event and I’m thinking about where I’m going to go on vacation next week.
“Yeah, that was basically it. I mean, I knew from then I’d sort of resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t going to shoot, four, or five, under-par.”
McIlroy appeared to swiftly put his poor performance in Scotland behind him, as he and his wife, Erica Stoll soon after flocked to Portugal for a family vacation alongside their daughter, Poppy.
Now back from the brief getaway, McIlroy will hope to represent Ireland proudly during his second appearance in the Olympics. Three years ago, he came just short of securing a medal in the Tokyo games, losing to C.T. Pan in a seven-man playoff for bronze.
As for why McIlroy will be representing Ireland instead of Great Britain in the Olympics, he divulged: “As I said, previously, once I left trying not to upset anyone aside, then it was actually a pretty easy decision. The decision was I’m going to play golf for the country or the nation that I’ve always played for through my junior and amateur days and now into the professional game. And that’s Ireland.”
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