Tiger Woods believes fellow Open Champion Rory McIlroy is ‘doing the right thing’ by not defending next week’s Open Championship at St. Andrews.
McIlroy delivered golf’s oldest major a big blow in announcing he would not tee-up on the Old Course as he recovers from a ruptured ankle ligament while playing a five-man aside soccer match with friends on July 4.
“He sent me a photo the day he did it,” said Woods of McIlroy.
“We talked about it for a little bit. He said, ‘You’ve been through a lot of injuries over the years.’ So he picked my brain a little bit. We had a good talk.
“He’s doing the right thing, taking care of his body first before he gets back out here. No doubt, he’s frustrated that he’s not going to be able to play in the Open Championship, especially here at St. Andrews. And how well he’s been playing of late, and this golf course really does set up well for him, too. That’s the way it goes. We all get injured at one point in time. Sometimes it’s through the sport or sometimes it’s through fun activities. You just never know.”
Woods was commenting to ESPN’s respected Bob Harig on the 14-time Major winner’s first visit to St. Andrews in five years.
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy – best of friends following the Match at Mission Hills. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
