Rory McIlroy had a season to recollect, however there’s not less than one factor he regrets.
“I am like, ‘F—ing hell, I’ve simply given Tiger COVID!'”
In an interview with the Sunday Impartial, McIlroy recounted the circumstances that he says led to him and Tiger Woods each getting COVID-19 forward of The Open.
McIlroy mentioned he first felt signs whereas taking part in in Eire on the JP McManus Professional-Am every week and a half earlier than The Open at St Andrews.
The sphere for the two-day, 36-hole occasion at Adare Manor featured 9 of the highest 10 gamers on the earth on the time, in addition to Woods, and, McIlroy mentioned, “everybody had COVID.”
After taking part in Monday and Tuesday, “Tiger wanted a relaxation on Wednesday. We had performed two days of golf at Adare, and the plan was to play Ballybunion on Thursday,” McIlroy mentioned. “I awakened that morning feeling a bit achy however did not actually suppose something of it. JP [McManus] gave us his chopper, and we went down with (my supervisor) Sean [O’Flaherty] and Tiger’s supervisor, Rob [McNamara]. We received round positive, flew again to Adare for lunch and as I am getting up from the desk, I am sore and stiff and tremendous drained. I mentioned to (my spouse) Erica, ‘I am feeling a bit bizarre. I am simply going upstairs to lie down for a bit.’ I slept for possibly two hours and the sweat was simply pouring off me, then Erica took my temperature and it was sky excessive. I rang Tiger: ‘I am not feeling so good right here.’ And he goes, ‘Oh, I really feel OK.’ However he texted me at 10 o’clock that night time, chills, fever, and I am like, ‘F—ing hell, I’ve simply given Tiger COVID! That is horrendous!’ So we each had COVID going into The Open.”
Whereas McIlroy by no means mentioned within the interview that he examined constructive for COVID-19, he described going your entire week at The Open with out having the ability to style something.
“On Tuesday night time I went to the Champions Dinner and it was beautiful. I used to be sitting there consuming water and so they poured a glass of wine, a stunning 2005 Bordeaux, and I used to be like, ‘Ahh, I will simply have a bit sip,’ however I could not style it,” McIlroy mentioned. “The entire week of The Open I did not have any style, and every little thing smelled like vinegar to me. All the things. It was actually unusual.”
Regardless of not being 100%, McIlroy completed third at The Open, whereas Woods ended up lacking the reduce.
McIlroy stored up his robust play all through the season, incomes the FedEx Cup for a report third time, successful two different tournaments and getting again to No. 1 on the earth rating. Moreover, he was the strongest and most frequent voice in help of the PGA Tour’s problem from Saudi-funded LIV Golf.
Woods has not performed since The Open, however he took dwelling a $15 million bonus from the PGA Tour’s Participant Influence Program, which is designed to reward members “proven to generate essentially the most constructive curiosity within the PGA Tour.” He was scheduled to play once more this weekend on the 20-man Hero World Problem, which advantages Woods’ basis, however mentioned Monday that plantar fasciitis will preserve him from taking part in.
McIlroy and Woods will workforce up collectively on Dec. 10 for The Match, the place they may play towards the workforce of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth within the made-for-TV occasion.
Info from ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and The Related Press was used on this report.
