McIlroy admits links remarks were a mistake

Irishman says his dismissive comments were spoken in the heat of the moment

RORY McIlroy was hot under the collar the last time he was asked about links golf. Yesterday, on an unusually hot day for late September in St Andrews, the young Ulsterman was cool and composed when he was asked to reassess his view of the purest form of the game.

It was after the final round of the Open Championship at Royal St George’s in July that McIlroy, a man who played plenty of links golf as an amateur, came out with some statements that didn’t sit too well with the golfing aficionados.

“I’m not a fan of golf tournaments where the outcome is predicted so much by the weather. It’s not my sort of golf,” said the man who had gone into the third major of the season as a hot favourite on the back of his runaway victory in the US Open at Congressional a few weeks earlier.

“My game is suited for basically every golf course and most conditions. But these conditions I just don’t enjoy playing in really. I’m looking forward to getting back to America and playing in some nice conditions.”

The 22-year-old went as far as saying that he wouldn’t consider altering the way he played in order to give him a better chance of winning the game’s oldest major. “I’d rather play when it’s 80 degrees and sunny and not much wind,” he declared. “There’s no point in changing your game for one week a year.”

Everything he said on that occasion lacked class. But yesterday McIlroy redeemed himself. First by having a bit of fun. “The weather is going to be perfect,” he said with a smile. “There’s going to be no wind and we’re playing in sunshine.”

He then revealed his remarks at Sandwich had been borne out of frustration. “I was cursing everything – the weather, the draw, the way I played,” he added. “I came off the course and was annoyed at everything basically. Looking back, it wasn’t the right thing to say. If you want to be a great golfer, you have to try and play well in all conditions. So, while it will be great if the weather stayed like this all week, if it doesn’t it will be another opportunity to challenge myself and see if I can get better in windy conditions.”

His record on the links courses being used for this week’s £3.2 million Dunhill Links Championship – St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns – is testament that it isn’t just parkland layouts and warm weather that brings out the best in the world No 3.

Four years ago, in just his second outing as a professional, McIlroy finished third in this event and, two years later, he tied for second. He was also third in last year’s Open Championship over the Old Course despite slumping to an 80 on a gale-torn second day.

“I do feel more comfortable on parkland courses, but I also feel very comfortable on St Andrews and Carnoustie and Kingsbarns as well,” he said. “The first time I played the Old Course I wasn’t a fan, but now it’s one of my favourite courses in the world.

“Part of the reason for that is that is because I’ve played so well here and become so comfortable on this golf course. One bad day killed me at The Open last year, but I’ve got some great memories, including coming close in this tournament before on a couple of occasions.”

Yesterday, it was definitely the turn of McIlroy’s dad and pro-am partner, Gerry, to enjoy a special memory on the hallowed fairways in the Auld Grey Toon. The three-handicapper won their early-morning match by chipping in for an eagle-2 on the 18th.

“He was one ahead of me going up the last, but I was a bit closer to the green after our drives,” reported McIlroy Jnr. “However, he chipped a 9-iron through the Valley of Sin, up the hill into the hole. It was his second chip in of the day, so I was the one buying lunch.”

This week’s field features five of the world’s top six, with McIlroy being joined by Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson and Martin Kaymer. It also includes six members of the winning Walker Cup side at Royal Aberdeen earlier this month, namely James Byrne, Tom Lewis, Andy Sullivan, Steven Brown, Jack Senior and Paul Cutler.

In the same boat as them four years ago, McIlroy grabbed his opportunity with both hands by securing his Tour card for the following season and has never looked back. “It’s a big chance [for them],” he conceded. “I’ve read a couple of articles about Tom Lewis and he seems to really be pressuring himself into getting his Tour card.

“I was fortunate that I was playing well at the right time, but sometimes it doesn’t work out like that for people. Tom finished tenth last week in Austria, so he’s got a bit of confidence.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if some of those guys didn’t go on to earn their Tour cards in seven events, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t. There’s been plenty of players who have had to go through the Challenge Tour or Tour School and it’s a great way to learn the ropes.”

Byrne, the Banchory man, has Peter Dawson, the R&A’s chief executive, and they’ve been paired with Padraig Harrington and JP McManus for their opening round today at Kingsbarns. On Saturday, over the Old Course, Byrne and Lewis will be out in the same group.

Most of the big names are in action today at Kingsbarns, where the celebrity cast is spearheaded by actor Michael Douglas. The American has been reunited with Colin Montgomerie and they’ll have Swede Robert Karlsson and Dermot Desmond, Celtic’s majority shareholder, for company.

For others, it’s a family affair this week. In addition to McIlroy, defending champion Martin Kaymer, Ernie Els and Charl Schwartzel are also being partnered by their fathers, while American world No 5 Johnson, Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen are all joining forces with brothers.

Admission to the all three courses on the first three days is free, while entry to the Old Course on Sunday, when the battle for a £515,000 top prize concludes, is £15 (£10 concessions).