Rory’s New Year Message to Tiger

Editor’s note: Brian Keogh is a golf correspondent for The Irish Sun and a contributor to The Irish Times, Golf Digest Ireland and other golf publications. The following piece from Brian’s Irish Golf Desk is used with permission.

By Brian Keogh
Special to ARMCHAIR GOLF

RORY MCILROY’S HOMESICKNESS STAYED at bay just long enough to allow the former PGA Tour member to spend the New Year in New York.

The 21-year old Ulster star said last year that one of the reasons he was giving up his card was because he often felt lonely in the US. Fortunately, he had Ulster rugby centre Darren Cave for company as he took in the New York Knicks’ victory over the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

Watching the game from the front rows, a la Spike Lee, McIlroy was dragged out for two minutes to talk to “Mobile Boost Celebrity Front Row” about being 21, the Ryder Cup, his hair and Tiger.

As an “outspoken” individual, he was asked for a “message” for Woods. Careful not to say anything too controversial following the furor over his post-US PGA comments, McIlroy said: “I think he is going to come back and do well next year, so, um, bring it, bring it.”

As for his own plans for 2011, McIlroy hopes he will be standing in Madison Square Garden in a year’s time as “hopefully, a major winner.”

McIlroy and Woods are likely to meet up at the $2.5m Omega Dubai Desert Classic from February 10-13.

Brian Keogh covers golf for The Irish Sun and contributes to a variety of golf publications. Pay him a visit at Irish Golf Desk.