The Official Golf Thread

[Milltown Row2]

I don't buy into the notion that geographical proximity means you have to support someone.  There's plenty from "down the road" who are cnuts.  Best and Higgins were flawed to say the least.

Growing up in Holywood even in the 1990s McIlroy wouldn't have been widely exposed to Irish identity.  Let's face it, "Former Sullivan Upper Pupil Says He's British" isn't a big story.  You don't become bar manager at Holywood Golf Club if you're a dyed in the wool Republican.

Fair play to McIlroy, he was born with a serious talent and has worked hard to make the most of it.  He deserves his success.

Exactly, McGregor is the worst image for a sports man Ireland has ever produced, at the top of his sport at a time, and people here still like him, follow him and so on, Michelle Smyth also got a hard time and split loyalties, even Mary Peters had death threats, Barry McGuigan is another one loved and hated on the island. Didn't Higgins say he was going to have Taylor shot lol?

If people don't like people, that's ok, be handy to have a reason behind it though

The reason isn't complicated. He doesn't fit the average six counties Catholic's view on how a six county Catholic should walk and talk.

Because he grew up in a community with differing views and outlooks to their own, while focusing on a sport that doesn't concern itself with words and shows of national pride, he is never to going to reflect their narrow spectrum of northern nationalism. And instead of just accepting this as the inevitable cultural outcome and getting on with it, they have to mistrust him and even dislike him.

I didn't want to say it 

It's always better to let them rationalise their dislike first..

Like many others he is a great man for the charities, think I seen one there for a children's charity was his winnings from a tournament?

Wears his heart on his sleeve, not afraid to say what's needed (whether it was right or wrong)  when it came to the LIV golf probably left himself open to criticism but seems to have refocused on himself rather than the dealings going on.

His personal life is not personal, its flat out on national media all the time, dealing with that can have its problems and wouldn't make a family life perfect..

Irish or not Irish, he lives in Florida, born in Holywood and went to Sullivan upper, he will have a different view to Paddy from up the Falls, and that's ok, he's his own man and he can be what he wants, we or they don't own him.

On an island of 6 million or so he's created golfing history. First European to win the Grand Slam, I can't judge him personally as I don't know the fella, but from what I've seen, like everyone here has also, he seems like a regular enough fella..

[weareros]

Is his caddie any relation to the late socialist/nationalist MP, Harry Diamond? Played a bit of GAA when he was younger by the looks of it.

[Tony Baloney]

Is his caddie any relation to the late socialist/nationalist MP, Harry Diamond? Played a bit of GAA when he was younger by the looks of it.

Yes. Harry Snr had a house in Glenariffe and I remember him knocking about the place when I was a cub.

[Bord na Mona man]

Previously I wouldn't have been a Rory McIlroy fan. Going back to his breakthrough years, I found him a little smug and smarmy. It was nothing to do with national identity politics. His personality and lack of charm made him hard to warm to.

Then as the years went on, he became more likeable as he became less Jim Gavin and more Mayo. You start to root for him a little more each time.

Sunday night was massive for him and in front of your eyes, you could see the massive mental torment being released.
I remember when Irish golf was Eamonn Darcy, Des Smyth, Christy O'Connor jnr, Philip Walton, Ronan Rafferty et al. Any of them managing to qualify for Augusta was a great achievement.

Since 2007, five different Irish players have won 11 majors. That's some going.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

Personally I wouldn't say I don't like him I just don't get the same buzz from watching him win as I did say when Harrington won the The Open for the first time or when he won two Majors in a row a few weeks apart, doubt many Golfers have ever done that?

I mean - Rory literally did exactly that in 2014 winning the Open and the PGA back to back - and for good measure he won the WGC event in between them.

[Franko]

Previously I wouldn't have been a Rory McIlroy fan. Going back to his breakthrough years, I found him a little smug and smarmy. It was nothing to do with national identity politics. His personality and lack of charm made him hard to warm to.

Then as the years went on, he became more likeable as he became less Jim Gavin and more Mayo. You start to root for him a little more each time.

Sunday night was massive for him and in front of your eyes, you could see the massive mental torment being released.
I remember when Irish golf was Eamonn Darcy, Des Smyth, Christy O'Connor jnr, Philip Walton, Ronan Rafferty et al. Any of them managing to qualify for Augusta was a great achievement.

Since 2007, five different Irish players have won 11 majors. That's some going.

Exactly this

People can't seem to see past the fact that someone may not like him (or have liked him) for any reason other than his perceived national identity

Their protestations are pure projection IMO

And that's due to their own inability to remove identity politics from their decision making process more than anything else

[gallsman]

Have never understood suggestions of him being smug or smarmy. Have always found him to be the exact opposite. Any time I listen to him he always comes across as pretty down to earth and humble. Thought he spoke excellently at the press conference on Sunday night too. He's much more articulate and open than your average pro sportsman, and a breath of fresh air compared to some of the guff the Americans pump out.

As for the Saudi issue and the accusation of his "holier than thou" attitude, has he made a big deal of the sports washing aspect of it? Has he really gone after anyone for taking blood money? Any time I've read anything about it from his perspective the issue has been the bullshit nature and format of the LIV competition. Whatever about the elitism of the PGA Tour, at least within its own framework it's always been merit based.

[weareros]

Is his caddie any relation to the late socialist/nationalist MP, Harry Diamond? Played a bit of GAA when he was younger by the looks of it.

Yes. Harry Snr had a house in Glenariffe and I remember him knocking about the place when I was a cub.

Thanks for confirming, Tony. It's a nice story that on his biggest success, his caddie was a childhood friend.

[Dag Dog]

McIlroy gave a bigger embrace to Lowry than he did to his yank trophy wife!

[johnnycool]

Is his caddie any relation to the late socialist/nationalist MP, Harry Diamond? Played a bit of GAA when he was younger by the looks of it.

I see OLSPK school in Knock have put up a well done Harry Diamond as a past pupil...

[Mad Mentor]

It was a wild ride of a final round and took serious cohones to pull off.
We now know that the difference between a great sporting achievement and being labelled -yet again - as a bottler is one stroke of a golf club.

[SaffronSports]

McIlroy gave a bigger embrace to Lowry than he did to his yank trophy wife!

I'm sure she loved him doing the interview with the alleged mistress. 

[gallsman]

McIlroy gave a bigger embrace to Lowry than he did to his yank trophy wife!

I'm sure she loved him doing the interview with the alleged mistress. 

If there was any truth to it, CBS would have her nowhere near him.

[Tony Baloney]

McIlroy gave a bigger embrace to Lowry than he did to his yank trophy wife!

I'd say their reconciliation came about when Rory saw the financial projections for a divorce 

[quit yo jibbajabba]

Yes I think we know who was the real winner on Sunday 🤓🤓