The Official Golf Thread

[Newbridge Exile]

Each to their own I suppose, in an ironic way ( considering their background) I have always thought that both Gmac and Darren Clarke are more comfortable with the Irish tag than Rory ever was

[rodney trotter]

Each to their own I suppose, in an ironic way ( considering their background) I have always thought that both Gmac and Darren Clarke are more comfortable with the Irish tag than Rory ever was

Gmac tries to be American more than anything else..

[Dinny Breen]

Did he say that?

I'm afraid he did. I knew my eyes weren't deceiving me when I saw a pair of red, white and blue shoes on him at the West of Ireland in Sligo a few years ago.

I'd say he feels more GB£££££ rather than GB.

Yep that's the key, he'd be a more valuable asset for sponsors if he was British rather than Irish.

But who gives a shit, as long as he is comfortable in his own identity best of luck to him.

Genuine question Dinny - What makes you think this?  I would have thought the all-conquering hero from li'l ole Ireland whould have been just as marketable as the British variant - a Usain Bolt/Jamaica type of thing?

Where's the larger market? Ireland or the UK?

As for the American market, I'm sure as much as we romanticise  the whole Irish/American connection, corporate dollars and the average American punter I'm pretty wouldn't care less if he was Irish or British.

[Jonah]

Gmac tweeted yesterday that he was looking forward to a big day of sport.
The All Ireland Hurling Final,An NFL game and the golf.

[Hardy]

As for the American market, I'm sure as much as we romanticise  the whole Irish/American connection, corporate dollars and the average American punter I'm pretty wouldn't care less if he was Irish or British.

I wouldn't agree with that, Dinny. The Irish connection is hugely important to Irish-Americans, of whom there are over 45 million. By contrast, British American is hardly ever used as a defining category, though there are over 35 million of them, as far as I can make out. British ancestry doesn't seem to mean as much to them as Irish background does to Irish Americans. So while Irish Americans will get behind an Irish sportsman because he's Irish, I don't think the same phenomenon exists for British Americans.

Gmac tweeted yesterday that he was looking forward to a big day of sport.
The All Ireland Hurling Final,An NFL game and the golf.

I'm only working on the basis of a very small sample, but my experience of meeting NI people of the unionist persuasion in America is that they tend to present themselves more as Irish than British and embrace readily enough the symbols, customs and culture that are more or less exclusively associated with nationalism at home.

[mick999]

The full DailyMail article is here :

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-2200702/Rory-McIlroy-represent-Great-Britain-Ireland-2016-Olympics.html

He obviously hasn't made up his mind yet:

"And so I have to weigh that up against the fact that I've always played for Ireland and so it is tough. Whatever I do, I know my decision is going to upset some people but I just hope the vast majority will understand"

I think the Daily Mail are stirring it up a bit and I wouldn't be surprised if there is some clarification from Rory ..

[Shadylimp]

The Irish have to be the most obsessed bunch of people with claiming celebrities or sports stars as one of their own. The Irish Daily Star is constantly at this with celebs who have an Irish great-grandfather or something similar! If Rory McIlroy wants to be known as British, what is the harm in that? Its how he was raised, the same as James McClean saying he's Irish. It doesn't make him a bad person and he's not trying to offend anyone. He had to choose one or the other and he chose what he thought was best and I'm pretty positive it had nothing to do with sponsorship deals! The 20 million in his bank would back that up.

[Orior]

At the risk of sounding all bitter and twisted....I would be very dissapointed if Rory opted for GB. What would make him feel more British than Irish?

- The maypole in Holywood - a truely quaint English thing
- Following Ulster rugby
- Going to a school that doesnt play provide Gaelic football or hurling

Or maybe Caroline wants them to run for King and Queen when the monarchy is outsourced.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Can't imagine the likes of Lee Westwood or Luke Donald or a couple others would be too happy. Given that only 2 golfers are picked per nation for the Olympics I'm sure they were assuming that McIlroy would be playing for Ireland. Now it looks like he wants one of their spots on Team GB.

Good for Harrington though I guess. Probably wouldn't make the team otherwise.

[heganboy]

what does it matter if Rory McIlroy opts to represent GB to anyone? In the north we look for parity of esteem. Where could you look for a better example of it? I have my own preference for what I'd like to see him do, but why should he care. If he grew up feeling more British than Irish, then let him choose to play for GB in the olympics. Its really the whole point of the GFA.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Each to their own I suppose, in an ironic way ( considering their background) I have always thought that both Gmac and Darren Clarke are more comfortable with the Irish tag than Rory ever was

Have noticed that myself.

Maybe they are just more comfortable in their own skin while McIlroy maybe feels he has to be all things to all people.

[Franko]

Did he say that?

I'm afraid he did. I knew my eyes weren't deceiving me when I saw a pair of red, white and blue shoes on him at the West of Ireland in Sligo a few years ago.

I'd say he feels more GB£££££ rather than GB.

Yep that's the key, he'd be a more valuable asset for sponsors if he was British rather than Irish.

But who gives a shit, as long as he is comfortable in his own identity best of luck to him.

Genuine question Dinny - What makes you think this?  I would have thought the all-conquering hero from li'l ole Ireland whould have been just as marketable as the British variant - a Usain Bolt/Jamaica type of thing?

Where's the larger market? Ireland or the UK?

As for the American market, I'm sure as much as we romanticise  the whole Irish/American connection, corporate dollars and the average American punter I'm pretty wouldn't care less if he was Irish or British.

I don't see that the size of the relative markets of the two makes any difference at all.  Golf is a global sport and mostly transcends tribal loyalties.  The obvious exception being the Ryder Cup which is Europe-wide anyway.

I cant imagine that Rory will sell more clubs/balls/clothes/merchandise if he lumps himself into the British camp.  Especially considering the shape Irish golf is currently in.

[Dinny Breen]

It's about transcending into markets other than traditional Golf markets, think Tiger Woods and how he transcends into the pubic domain. Rory McIllroy is not a household name in the UK, he might have £20 million in the bank but Tiger has earned almost a 1/2 billion between winnings and sponsorship McIllroy would be mad not to want a slice of that pie.

[dec]

As mick999 predicted earlier there has been some clarification from Mr McIlroy

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A2cvSgQCUAEtaX8.jpg:large

Having just won three of my last four tournaments, including a second Major championship, I was hoping that my success on the golf course would be the more popular topic of golfing conversation today. However the issue of my cultural identity has re-emerged, and with it, the matter of my national allegiance ahead of the Rio Olympics in 2016.

"I am in an extremely sensitive and difficult position and I conveyed as much in a recent newspaper interview. I am a proud product of Irish golf and the Golfing Union of Ireland and am hugely honoured to have come from very rich Irish sporting roots, winning Irish Boys, Youths and Amateur titles and playing for Ireland at all levels. I am also a proud Ulsterman who grew up in Northern Ireland which is part of the United Kingdom. That is my background and always will be.

"I receive huge support from Irish and British sports fans alike and it is greatly appreciated. Likewise I feel I have a great affinity with the American sports fans. I play most of my golf in the US nowadays and I am incredibly proud to have won the US Open and US PGA Championship in the last two years. "As an international sportsman I am very lucky to be supported by people all over the world, many of whom treat me as one of their own, not matter what their nationality, or indeed mine. This is the way sport should be.

"Since turning professional at 18, I have travelled the world playing the game that I love and consider myself a global player. As the World No.1 right now, I wish to be a positive role model and a sportsperson that people respect, and enjoy watching. I feel very fortunate to be in a position to play the sport that I love professionally and to have enjoyed the success that has come my way.

"I wish to clarify that I have absolutely not made a decision regarding my participation in the next Olympics. On a personal level, playing in the Olympics would be a huge honour. However, the Games in Rio are still four years away and I certainly won't be making any decisions with regards to participating any time soon.

"The Olympics will be great for the growth of golf on a global scale, but my focus right now is on being the best player I can be, trying to win Major Championships and contributing to what will hopefully be a victorious European side at the forthcoming Ryder Cup Matches against the USA.

"Lastly, I would like to thank everyone for the amazing support that I receive around the world every time I play. It is hugely appreciated...Rory.

[Puckoon]

As mick999 predicted earlier there has been some clarification from Mr McIlroy

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A2cvSgQCUAEtaX8.jpg:large

Having just won three of my last four tournaments, including a second Major championship, I was hoping that my success on the golf course would be the more popular topic of golfing conversation today. However the issue of my cultural identity has re-emerged, and with it, the matter of my national allegiance ahead of the Rio Olympics in 2016.

The naivety of the kid.

Indicative of the lack of progress to see the posts on regarding his allegience yet not a whisper about his back to back wins, or 3 out of 4 wins vs starts.