World No. 1 Rory McIlroy returns to competition in New Jersey looking to win a fourth event in succession at the Barclays Championship and revealing he laughed off comments from Tiger Woods and then smiled at a remark by Phil Mickelson.
McIlroy and Woods had been in nearby New York on Monday attending a Nike equipment launch before appearing together on the Jimmy Fallon Show.
And before Woods headed home to Florida McIlroy said the injured 14-time Major winner could not resist having a dig at now four-time Major winning McIlroy.
“We talked about a few things and Tiger’s telling me like I’m not going to let you win a green jacket next year and that he’s going to,” said McIloy.
“I just responded to Tiger saying I am looking forward to the challenge but he’s super competitive.
Rory McIlroy said he laughed at a Masters suggestion by Tiger Woods and smiled he confronted with a Phil Mickelson remark. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“I might not look it but I’m the opposite. I’ve got a very competitive spirit but it would only be on a golf course. Like I’ll let someone win in a game of pool. I don’t care about that.
“But golf it’s my thing to be competitive at and it’s my thing to succeed in, so of course I’m really competitive, and even if it doesn’t look it, on the inside I’m trying to beat those guys to death on the course.”
However McIlroy admitted he let Woods get the better of him in their recent ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ that’s now gone viral on social media sites.
“I actually put more water and ice in my bucket to tip over Tiger than he did with me but then I ended up getting soaked through,” he smiled.
“However I didn’t mind as it was all for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosisa) which is a great cause.”
But then another of McIlroy’s rivals in Mickelson left McIlroy speechless when he jokingly asked if he could ‘hit through’ on the last hole during yesterday’s Pro-Am.
Mickelson was walking up onto the 17th green of the Ridgewood Country Club yesterday he spotted McIlroy on the tee of the nearby 18th that is located at right-angles to the 17th.
Rory McIlroy’s coach, Michael Bannon (second left) joins Gerry McIlroy. Rory, Sean O’Flaherty and Harry Diamond in celebrating McIlroy’s 2014 PGA Championship success. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
“Hey, Rory? Do you mind if we can hit through,” shouted Mickelson in reference to the ‘darkness’
scenario on the final hole of last fortnight’s PGA Championship.
McIlroy saw the funny side of the remark ahead of the serious start today to the four-event FedEx Cup Play-Off Series, and especially having finished runner-up in 2012 and now looking also for a fourth victory in succession, and the eventual $10m extra winning pot of gold in a month’s time in Atlanta.
“The FedEx Cup is my next goal, so I’m going to put everything into that,” he said.
“I’ve had a great summer and this is the next challenge and this is the next goal. Instead of dwelling or looking back on what you’ve done, look ahead and try and achieve the next goal.”
“So regardless of it was the FedEx Cup or another major championship or whatever it is, the next goal is always the most important one.
“It’s a season‑long race but then these four weeks can become quite volatile at the end but you look back historically on it and the best players do come out on top.
“The players that win the Tour Championship, the players that have been successful through the season or have got on, like Henrik (Stenson), a bit of a hot streak the last six months of last year.
“But then every winner of the FedEx Cup has been deserving of it.”
