Rory McIlroy suggests Tiger Woods will retire soon

With rumors heating up that Tiger Woods’ retirement from competitive golf could come soon, Rory McIlroy seemed to offer a wrap on his boyhood idol’s career.

“I’m glad that he has other things in his life. He has his kids and is so committed to them ... Golf is minuscule compared to watching your kids grow up. That’s where my priority would be now,” McIlroy told The Guardian about the injured superstar in an interview published on Friday.

“Life is more important than golf, which is what people have to remember when talking about Tiger Woods,” said McIlroy, coincidentally on the mend from a fractured rib suffered in January. “I just hope he gets healthy and happy.”

No one but the 14-time major champion himself can speak to the “happy” aspect, but from afar, the “healthy” part appears to not be happening.

Woods returned to golf 15 months after taking an extended break to nurse his back, which has undergone three surgeries since March 2014. While he appeared fit at the Hero World Challenge in December, despite finishing 15th in the 17-player field, he missed the cut at Torrey Pines late last month. A week later, Woods looked miserable and played like it in his one round of 77 in Dubai before he called it quits with what he termed back spasms.

Since then, he pulled out of the Genesis Open and this week’s Honda Classic. He was even too unwell to attend a press conference ahead of the Genesis, which benefits his foundation, with agent Mark Steinberg acknowledging that doctors insisted his client remain horizontal.

McIlroy, for his part, on Sunday played his first 18 holes since going on the DL after the South African Open. That round, with the U.S. president at his Trump International in West Palm Beach, unleashed a hailstorm of criticism aimed at both participants — POTUS for trying to hide the fact that he played a full round, and McIlroy for chumming around with the controversial Trump.

While McIlroy termed the American political scene, in which he has become “massively” interested, a “circus,” he certainly is familiar with another three-ring spectacle — the one that accompanies Woods everywhere he goes inside and outside the ropes. He has witnessed first hand, when the Nike stablemates have gone head to head in PGA Tour events, the charged atmosphere that a Woods appearance sparks.

Though it’s unclear how much Woods and McIlroy are in touch these days, the two superstars developed a close friendship several years ago. So when Rory said he “felt sorry” for Tiger, who remains out of the public eye, presumably still bed-bound, his words carried some weight.

“I never thought I would say this but I felt sorry for him,” averred McIlroy. “I just felt bad for the guy that his body won’t allow him to do what he wants to do. I can’t imagine anything so debilitating where you can’t even stand up to do a press conference.

“Tiger was a child star, he was used to being out there winning golf tournaments since he was 10,” added McIlroy. “I know that’s not what he values his life around but it must be hard to still want to do that but have it taken away because you can’t physically get to where you want to be. Obviously there is a physical battle there but there has to be a mental struggle as well.”

McIlroy noted that it would “awesome” if Woods were able to tee it up with the boys again, but he made it sound as if that possibility were a long shot at best.


“Playing tournament golf would be a bonus and awesome,” said McIlroy. “Everyone sees him as a golfer, not a person. Tiger doesn’t owe anyone in the game. He has nothing to prove to anyone.”