Rory McIlroy clears air with Graeme McDowell

THERE’S a danger of a golf tournament breaking out this morning. It will be refreshing after a week so far of verbal jousting between Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods in which the Spaniard took a step too far with a perceived racist comment, as well as those one-time bosom buddies, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, needing to kiss and make up after a spat of their own.

Rory McIlroy has a laugh ahead of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth yesterday, but he was still reluctant to expand on his situation with Horizon Sports. Picture: Getty

While it should come as no real surprise to anyone that Garcia and Woods are never likely to share a jug of Pimm’s, few would have predicted the two Northern Irishmen falling out after the way they’d gelled in the Ryder Cup and also spurred each other on to become major champions. But fall out they did, though not because of 
anything that happened on the golf course.

Last week, while winning the Volvo Match Play Championship at its new home at ­Thracian Cliffs in Bulgaria, McDowell was the source of reports that ­McIlroy, the world No 2, was set to leave him in the Dublin-based Horizon Sports stable, possibly to be managed by his dad, Gerry.

When McIlroy was asked at Wentworth earlier in the week 
if he could throw any light on that situation, he told reporters: “Ask GMac [McDowell]. He knows more than me.” As that remark was being made, it emerged that Paul Lawrie had been paired with McIlroy and McDowell in the opening two rounds of the BMW PGA Championship, raising fears the 
Aberdonian would be playing the role of referee between a warring pair.

Prior to Tuesday night’s Players’ Dinner in a Heathrow hotel, however, they made up. To the extent, in fact, that Lawrie didn’t even know there had been disharmony when he joined up with his two Ryder Cup team-mates and the nine other players from the “Miracle at Medinah”. “They were getting on great last night and were both on good form,” he said.

According to McIlroy, the air has been well and truly cleared. “I spoke to Graeme yesterday afternoon,” he said. “We got back to the hotel and had a chat. Every­thing’s good. So there won’t be any quid pro quo at the wrong time or any of that stuff the next few days.

“I’m great friends with Graeme. He’s been a real big brother to me. I remember playing practice rounds with him at the Dunhill Links, for example, back in 2007 when I got my card. He really showed me the ropes out here for a couple of years and he’s obviously somebody I consider a very good friend.”

Asked if his remark about McDowell the previous day had been a sign of their relationship becoming strained, the two-time major winner added: “I know what I said and I guess at the time I meant that. But it’s water under the bridge and away we go.”

While McIlroy has mainly been a popular figure with the media since exploding on to the scene, cracks are also starting to appear on that front. He had already upset two British journalists for seemingly failing to tell the truth over his management situation during the Players’ Championship a fortnight ago and did himself no favours yesterday when, during an interview on Sky Sports, he said: “When you join the circus you have to be prepared to put up with the clowns.”

Sitting in the media centre during his pre-event interview, the 23-year-old was asked what he meant by that. “I thought it was quite a good comment. Something someone very smart told me a couple of days ago,” he replied. Was it in relation to his management situation? “No, it’s just… think about it. Just think about it,” he added.

For most part, it was an uncomfortable visit for McIlroy. He certainly wasn’t for opening up on what is happening with Horizon Sports, the company he joined just 18 months ago from ISM, which is run by Chubby Chandler. “Look, I’m here to try and stay on point and talk about golf,” he said when that matter was raised. “I can’t really comment on that situation at this point. Obviously you guys know something’s up. That’s fair enough. But I can’t say much more.”

One of those who had asked the question in the first place a fortnight ago wasn’t letting the matter lie there. He asked McIlroy when he expected it to be sorted and also wondered if he felt it had been a mistake at Sawgrass to say that nothing was in the offing. “No, I mean, again at that point, I couldn’t really comment on it,” insisted McIlroy. “Look, it is what it is and the truth will all come out one day. I guess you’ll just have to be ­patient.”

McIlroy himself struggled to do that 12 months ago as he missed the cut in the European Tour’s flagship event. That came in the middle of a slump but, of course, he bounced back to win the USPGA Championship and also finish 2012 at the top of the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic.

Still seeking his first win since swapping from Titleist to Nike, McIlroy insisted he is feeling confident about getting in the mix this week. “Once I get on that first tee, my mind is focused on shooting the best score possible,” he said. “That has not changed and never will.”

Joint second behind back-to-back winner Luke Donald – the Englishman is bidding to become only the second player after Colin Montgomerie to claim this title three years in a row – Lawrie admitted watching videos of last year’s Ryder Cup win in Chicago had put him in fine fettle for this week’s £4 million event.

“It was all very emotional 
and when [European captain] Jose Maria [Olazabal] started talking about it and showed the ­passion he has for the Ryder Cup it was unbelievable,” said the Scot.

“We’d only been together once before at last year’s Race to Dubai so it was good to get every­one together again.

“As for my hopes this week, my record is reasonable round here. I’ve finished second twice and if I can go one better then I’ll have hit the jackpot.”