Rory McIIroy
Rory Mcllroy odd behavior weeks following his dramatic Master’s win deserves some comment. On several occasions, he has “boycotted” the media, refusing to give post-round interviews. He finally explained that some of it was due as a payback to some media “leaking” the news his driver was deemed “non-conforming” at the PGA Championship. As protocol, a player’s name is not publicly linked to the offending driver, which is a regular occurrence due to the normal wear and tear on a driver’s face at the Tour level.
When asked about it, McIlroy said: “Yeah…I was a little pissed off because I knew that Scottie’s driver had failed on Monday, but my name was the one that was leaked. It was supposed to stay confidential. Two members of the media were the ones that leaked it.”
Okay, I understand why Rory would be upset, even though penalizing all the media and your fan base doesn’t seem fair, either. So be it.
But what I don’t get, and I haven’t seen a public explanation for it, is why McIlroy didn’t personally notify Jack Nicklaus he wasn’t playing in his Memorial tournament.
What’s that all about? Jack has befriended and counseled McIlroy through the good times and the bad. And after McIIroy’s Masters win, Nicklaus even sent him a personal note. Given Nicklaus’s stature in the game as well as his long relationship with him, McIIroy was derelict in not giving him the courtesy of a heads up. And where is his “team” in not giving him better advice?
When asked if he was surprised Rory didn’t contact him, Nicklaus said simply: “A little bit.”
Early in my career, someone gave me this little bit of wisdom: You will seldom be faulted for over-communicating.
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Following up on McIlroy and other dejected players giving post-round interviews after tough losses, I admire how Tommy Fleetwood handled his devastating loss to fan favorite Keegan Bradley at the Travelers Championship last month. In contrast, Collin Morikawa refused to give an interview after being beaten by Russell Henley at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Fleetwood was gracious in defeat and faced the music afterward. In his interview, he said in part: “Right now I would love to… just go and sulk somewhere… but there’s just no point making it a negative for the future really, just take the positives and move on.”
Playing Captain?
And speaking of Bradley, what a prescient pick he is as Ryder Cup Captain at this point. I mean, he’s a spirited golfer who embraces team competition, perfect for what will transpire at Bethpage Black in September. The partisan home gallery in NY, where Bradley attended college at St. John’s University, will be ecstatic for the U.S. Captain and his squad, making it difficult for the Europeans to pull off an upset.
Given the sheer enormity of the Ryder Cup and all of the details and focus required of the captain, I’m not sold that it’s wise for Bradley to be a playing captain. But then again, he does have able-bodied vice-captains in Jim Furyk, Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, and Kevin Kisner. The last playing captain for the U.S. was Arnold Palmer in 1963. But that was a different era when the Americans were so dominant it wasn’t a fair challenge.
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Short takes on golf products: I finally tried out Titleist’s Pro V1x Left Dash golf balls. My usual ball choice is the Pro V1, but Ben Rabourn, clubhouse manager at Kaufman GC in Wyoming, urged me to give it a try. After several rounds with it, it matched up well with the Pro V1 and provided both distance and feel around the greens. Anecdotally, it gave me an extra yardage boost off of the tee. Nice! The specs from Titleist say the Left Dash “is designed for players seeking high flight similar to Pro V1x and has a firmer feel.” Compared to the Pro V1x, it imparts “very low spin” on the driver and iron play. I will to continue to use this ball….until lost.
As a regular walker, quality socks for my golf shoes are a big deal. For that reason, I liked Feetures Elite golf socks, a performance-driven brand out of Charlotte, NC. Feetures boast an anatomical design that fits snugly in place and minimizes blisters. Like quality compression socks, Feetures’ left and right socks are initialed. Moreover, the wick-fibered socks reduce moisture and have a lifetime guarantee. As it might be said, “wearing is believing.” Visit www.feetures.com
Images courtesy of Nike, PGA of America, Titleist
