Rory McIlroy at Tuesday's pre-Olympic press conference.
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One shot landed at the Home of Golf.
Two shots came before the Olympic competition.
Ryder Cup banter, it seems, knows no bounds. It is not a place. It's not time. The biannual event does not start for more than a year. But Rory McIlroy shot anyway. Each one was short. Each had a cheek.
The first jab came on Monday at St Andrews, where McIlroy played a rare round. People have seen the big winner four times. They shouted at him. A single shout was heard.
“New York loves you. … The Bronx, baby. The Bronx. … The Bronx in the house.”
McIlroy replied:
“You won't like us next year.”
Next year's Ryder Cup, you see, will be played at Bethpage Black. On Long Island. A clip of the interaction can be seen below:
Job two was thrown on Tuesday, at McIlroy's press conference ahead of this week's Olympic event at Le Golf National in France. Q&A has often been public. Will there be other events? He said it was possible. Would he accept the mixed event proposed for the next Games? He would do it. Where does the Olympics stand on the golf list? They are high, he said. What can gold mean? A lot. “It would be an achievement, definitely of the year, if not – I think for me, it's well documented that I haven't won one of the four majors in 10 years,” McIlroy said. “It would probably be one of, if not the biggest in my career in the last 10 years.”
Tame. Like the next question.
“For those watching at home, they probably haven't seen golf at Le Golf National since 2018. How different will the golf course play?”
Six years ago, you see, the Ryder Cup was played at Le Golf National, where McIlroy and the Europeans beat the American side 17.5-10.5.
The exchange went like this:
McIlroy said: “I don't think it's going to play that much different. It is very clean. It is in excellent condition. But rough is thick. A good set of meat.”
He asked the reporter: “Is it this difficult?”
McIlroy replied: “Very good – maybe not…”
Answered Shane Lowry, also in these games: “Maybe it won't be long.”
McIlroy replied, to laughter: “Ask the Americans. I wasn't on it much that week. I think about when I was playing a practice round.”
For that, we will note just this:
Less than 14 months until the event begins.
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