Perhaps the wear and tear of following her boyfriend, Rory McIlroy, around on golf courses from Boston to Turkey was taking its toll on Caroline Wozniacki. Or, maybe the 10th-best singles player in the world was tired of her top-ranked boy toy hogging the limelight.
Caroline Wozniacki crashes Rory McIlroy’s Dubai press conference
Tennis-player Caroline Wozniacki put boyfriend Rory McIlroy on the spot by asking who’s his favorite cheerleader and demanding an extra special Christmas present this year.
Stuart Franklin
What. Ever. On Thursday, the distaff half of Wozzilroy interrupted a fascinating discussion between McIlroy and a reporter about why the latter hoped to tee it up with Luke Donald in the second round of this week’s World Tour Challenge in Dubai (um, because the world No. 2 was in the final group; duh!) to ask what Santa Rory planned to leave under the tree for his gal pal.
“You obviously have unbelievable support this week. So, you know, if you win this week, am I going to get a really nice Christmas present, and what am I going to get?” Wozniacki, identified by the official running the presser as “a familiar face, lady in the back,” demanded of her swain.
McIlroy lobbed the question back into Wozniacki’s court.
“That’s great. I’ve got my parents here,” the two-time major winner said to laughter. “Have you not already got a lot of nice presents?”
Ooh. Advantage, Rory Mac.
“You know,” Wozzy said, returning a weak backhand, “Christmas is coming up, so --”
McIlroy teed up an overhead smash when he said, “It won’t take winning this week to buy you a nice present. I think you’ll get a nice present anyway.”
Bazinga, Caroline! Your serve.
“That must be because I’m an unbelievable cheerleader,” the 22-year-old from Denmark responded, setting McIlroy up with a puff ball, which the recent convert to the clay court returned with a wicked forehand to the corner.
“You’re a better tennis player,” said the boyfriend, earning a “that’s not nice” from his photogenic flame.
“No, it is,” McIlroy said, hoping to wrap up the extremely awkward portion of his post-first-round presser. “Anything else?”
Wozniacki finally conceded defeat.
“That’s it for today,” she said.
Game, set, match -- McIlroy, who, by the way, posted a 5-under 67 on Friday to go with an opening 66 that got him into a three-way tie for the lead with Donald and Marc Warren after 36 holes. He’ll also be in the final group on Saturday -- but with Warren. Donald, for his part, will take on Branden Grace, who, along with Louis Oosthuizen was one shot back of the leaders in the European Tour’s season-ending event.
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