Rory? A little less conversation, a little more action, please!

< PAUL HEALY

Having failed (so far) to set the golfing world alight myself, I’m probably not best placed to offer advice to majorsmisfiring Rory McIllroy, who tamely exited from the Masters last Friday after failing to make the cut.

But the sight of Rory giving an interview during his first round in Augusta was, for this viewer at least, utterly infuriating.

In an interesting, relatively recent innovation, some of the world’s top golfers have agreed to give ‘in-play’ interviews while competing on the course. Mic’d up, the selected player chats away to one or two of the commentators/pundits in between taking their shots. It’s quite a coup for the media, arguably for viewers too, although it’s debatable whether many of the participating players are really focussed enough on the interaction to offer genuinely interesting ‘content’. Back to Rory…last Thursday, the man who was trying to end a nine-year majors’ drought, agreed to be mic’d up dur- ing the US Masters for a few minutes.

And so we have the sight of a man who is regularly world number one – a superstar who’s under pressure to rediscover his winning touch in the majors – chatting away to the media while lining up his shots on the ninth hole.

Bad decision, Rory. And frankly, it’s part of the ‘Rory problem’. I like the guy, he’s box office when in full flow, but his ego really is becoming a problem. Quite simply, Rory talks too much, embraces his ‘media darling’ status too willingly.

After that opening round (he shot a level par 72), McIllroy – who was never going to admit that doing the in-play chat might have been a mistake – said: “I thought it would be a cool thing to do. I did it in Austin and didn’t feel like it took me out of my rhythm in any way or made me think about things too much… so it’s nice to provide the audience at home (with) a little bit more insight into what’s going on out here”. Note Rory positioning himself as the heroic provider of insight to the audience! Even more revealing was his answer when the interviewer in that live chat on Thursday noted that Rory was the first player to do it at the Masters. Rory’s response? “Pleasure! I’m happy to be the first one to do it…” Priorities, Rory! We all want to see this charismatic superstar return to major-winning. I think Rory needs to rein himself in, and stop the gimmicks. Small margins can make big differences. As Elvis said, “A little less conversation, a little more action, please!”

< DAN DOONER

Famous Roscommon barber and Rossies super fan, Paddy Joe Burke, was in fine form on last Friday’s Late Late Show ahead of Sunday’s Connacht Senior Football Championship quarter-final between Mayo and Roscommon in Castlebar.

Hinting at the Roscommon ambush that was to come, Paddy Joe warned host Ryan Tubridy that the Primrose and Blue always enjoy their trips to MacHale Park.

“I love going to MacHale Park… we went down in ’72, we were down in ’78, were there in 2010, 2019, a magnificent night when the rain was beautiful…Roscommon we won” Paddy Joe said.

“You couldn’t play bad football in Castlebar, it is one of the nicest stadiums in the country, and the Rossies are going there on Sunday. Nobody gives us a chance. Ryan don’t tell anyone…the Rossies on tour this Sunday!”

Not surprisingly, the Rossie ‘super fan’ was in flying form again on Sunday as he watched on from the terraces.

He even went viral once again later that evening as he celebrated Roscommon’s sensational win over the much-fancied hosts.