Double Major winning Rory McIlroy knows he is going to have to start winning again if he’s to unseat Tiger Woods at World No.1.
But what the curly-haired Northern Irishman didn’t count on was pictures of Woods all about the house the 24-year old McIlroy is renting for this week’s $9m WGC – Cadillac Championship.
There’s photographs of the 14-time Major winning Woods everywhere including the bathroom.
McIlroy said: “I’m staying this week in the Tiger Woods Villa here at Doral and there’s just pictures all over the place of him.
Rory McIlroy has all photos of Tiger Woods removed from his villa. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
“I sent Tiger a text message last night saying ‘I can’t get away from you here’.
“I can’t even go to the bathroom without him (Woods) looking at me (smiling)”.
McIlroy’s agent wasted little time getting in contact with managers of the villa to have the near dozen framed snaps of Woods retired to storage for the week.
McIlroy tees up on the ‘Blue Monster’ this week coming off a final round train wreck showing in last week’s Honda Classic when he blew a two shot lead and then lose out in a four-man play-off.
He said: “I had a really good practice session on Tuesday up in Palm Beach, and just kept working on the shot that I struggled with coming down the stretch on Sunday, and that was the little hold-up shot, because a lot of the shots that I faced on Sunday on the back nine were right-to-left wind and I was holding the ball up but I was losing it left.
“The run of form I have been on lately does validate what I’ve been working on and what I have been trying to do with my golf game.”
Stephen Gallacher is again the lone Scot in this year’s second WGC and tees up later today (THR) in the company of the American duo of Nick Watney and Roberto Castro.
It is Gallacher’s second straight appearance in the event having finished T53rd a year ago in the field of 65 where there is also again no-cut and a guaranteed cheque this year of some $US 45,000.
And Gallacher has added his approval to changes that course by American-born designer, Gil Hanse.
Hanse is no stranger to Scottish golf fans having designed the Craighead course at Crail, and his first project outside of the States. It was his superb work at Crail that helped Hanse land the job of designing Castle Stuart and venue from 2011 to 2013 of the Scottish Open.
Gallacher said: “The changes Gil has made to the course are really, really good.
“It’s a much tougher course now with the greens much bigger than the course we played last year, and with a lot more water and a lot more run offs.
“So it’s going to be a tough week and with the back nine sure to play really tough on Sunday, so it’s going to be a really tough week.”
