Rory McIlroy: I'm not an eco-warrior but I take the environment seriously

It wasn’t quite a case of saying ‘move over Greta Thunberg’, but Rory McIlroy certainly spoke passionately about what he does to reduce his huge global footprint playing golf.

Rory McIlroy talks to the media ahead of the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai. Picture: Luke Walker/Getty Images.

“I wouldn't self-profess to be an eco warrior,” declared the four-time major winner, speaking ahead of his appearance in this week’s DP World Tour Championship, the final event of the 2022 European Tour season, in Dubai. “But I'm someone that doesn't want to damage the environment.”

McIlroy was responding to the subject being raised with him for the first time in his career on the back of the environment being a big talking point around the world as a result of the recent COP26 summit in Glasgow.

“It's funny you say that,” he replied to being asked for his take on the topic. “Two years ago, after I won in China, I flew back home privately, and it was just me on the plane. And I just got this massive sense of guilt come over me, thinking ‘this can't be good and all that sort of stuff’.

“So we ended up reaching out to the GEO Foundation who do a lot of great sustainability things in golf, and that was the only sort of organisation that we knew of that I guess could help us go in the right direction: how can I make my travel around the world neutral, how can I neutralise what I do?

“And they came up with a few different ways that I can do that. So on top of what I pay to fly private, I pay quite a bit more on top of that to make sure I'm carbon neutral by the end of the year.

“So it's something that I have a conscience about and I take it seriously, especially when you see some of these weather events that are happening. And I live in a part of the world (Florida) where hurricanes are very prevalent and becoming more and more prevalent as the years go on.”

The 32-year-old freely admitted that it hadn’t been something he’d actually talked to many other players about, but he added: “I think we can all play our part in some way or another.

“When the R&A and the USGA brought out that whole distance insights report, I think the best thing they spoke about in that was the sustainability aspect of and making the footprint of golf courses smaller.

“So that is certainly something that I guess we can do. If every other industry in the world is trying to make a push towards going green and making sure that you're doing your part for the environment, why should we be any different?”

Despite being out of the running for a fourth Race to Dubai title, McIlroy has headed to the UAE for his penultimate event of 2021 before teeing up in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas in a fortnight’s time.

“It's been good,” he said of his year, having won the CJ Cup in Las Vegas in his most recent outing on the PGA Tour, where he also claimed the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow earlier in the year.

“I feel like it's been a year of exploration, learning. There's been some good parts, obviously the couple wins in the States were nice. I was tied for the lead with nine holes to go at a major championship, at the US Open.

“There's been some good stuff in there. I've worked hard. I've learned a few things. And I feel like I've sort of went through that sort of barrier of struggle, if you will, and then I came through the other side of it.

“It's been an interesting year. I don't regret any of it. I think it's been a good year. Happy to be here. Happy to feel like my game is in good shape. I feel like I'm playing well. I got some confidence from the win in Vegas. Try to finish the year on a high.”

A two-time winner on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, McIlroy’s rivals on this occasion include Open champion and world No 2 Collin Morikawa, who leads the Race to Dubai standings from compatriot Billy Horschel as they both bid to create history as the first American to claim that title.

“I wasn't always planning to be here and play,” admitted McIlroy. “After the Ryder Cup, I didn't really know what I was going to do. But I decided to play a bit more and try to push through some of the things I was working on in my game.

“It's a place I've had success on. It's a course that suits my game really well. I'll have a good chance this week. I don't feel like I need to do anything too special to give myself a chance on Sunday.”

World No 1 and 2019 Race to Dubai champion Jon Rahm is an absentee this week, having said at the weekend that he needed to “recharge the batteries” at the end of an exhausting campaign.

“I fully understand,” said McIlroy of the Spaniard’s decision. “He just won his first major (the US Open) this year, he's had his first child, he won this the year before last.

“I don't think anyone can criticise him for not being here. He's given his all all year. He's had his trials and tribulations as well. He was an absolute star at the Ryder Cup for us. He couldn't have given more, and he's given a lot to the European Tour already. He goes to Spain and plays those events there in his home country.”

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