Rory McIlroy has had a change of heart about the Olympic Games, having previously turned down the chance to compete in 2016.
The golf icon previously stressed the importance of the four major championships but became a two-time Olympian at the Paris Games.
The 35-year-old golf icon reversed his initial decision and represented Ireland at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, securing a T4 finish as his US rival Xander Schauffele struck gold.
This summer, McIlroy competed for Ireland once again at Le National, alongside compatriot Shane Lowry, in his bid to earn an Olympic medal.
It is a huge shift from McIlroy’s comments about golf being reintegrated into the Olympics, back in 2016: “I never dreamed of competing in the Olympics or winning an Olympic medal,”
he said, playing down its importance. “So in my mind, a major will always be more important.”
Ahead of competing in Paris, McIlroy dramatically changed his tune, admitting that Olympic success would possibly be his biggest accomplishment for a decade.
“It would be the achievement, certainly of the year. I think for me, it’s well documented that I haven’t won one of the big four in 10 years,” McIlroy said. “It would probably be one of, if not the biggest in my career for the last 10 years.”
The four-time major winner went one further by pointing out how lucky he is to be playing at the Olympics unlike his LIV Golf rivals. “If you want to qualify for the Olympics, you knew what you had to do,” McIlroy argued. “Just like if you wanted to qualify for the Ryder Cup, you knew what you had to do. They were very aware of the decision they made when they did.
“I don’t think there’s any other way to do (Olympic qualifying) because it’s hard to compare the golf that they play to the golf that we play. That’s the reason they didn’t get world-ranking points, right?”
Seven LIV Golf stars still managed to qualify for the Olympic tournament in Paris, including Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann. However, big names such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith, and Sergio Garcia failed to qualify.
Despite their absence, McIlroy was not able to secure a medal for Ireland, tying with Jon Rahm on -15 for fifth place. The gold was clinched by World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler with an impressive -19, while Team GB’s Tommy Fleetwood took silver and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama earned the bronze.
McIlroy is now facing a ten-year major drought, with his last significant title coming at the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla. He was on the brink of clinching the US Open earlier this year, but DeChambeau snatched the win after two heart-breaking missed putts from McIlroy.
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Source: New York Post
