Have you ever changed your phone number and not told the biggest name in your contacts? That’s what Rory did after the US Open…
Following his gut-wrenching finish at Pinehurst No.2, where he bogeyed three of the last four holes to lose by a single shot, McIlroy took some time away from the game.
Two days after the final round, the Northern Irishman opted for a change in phone number. However, he forgot to mention it to one of the most important people in the sport.
“Full disclosure, I changed my number two days after the U.S. Open, so I didn’t get it until he told me about it today,” the Northern Irishman explained.
“I was like, ‘Oh, thanks very much.’ So I blanked Tiger Woods, which is probably not a good thing.”
Despite the breakdown in communication, McIlroy and Woods remain close, more than 15 years on from their first meeting.
“Tiger has been nothing but incredible to me over the course of my career in the good moments and the bad. He sent me an incredible message after St Andrews in 2022,” McIlroy continued.
“I met Tiger when I was 15 years old, and I’ve built up a great relationship with him, his whole family. He really enjoys spending time with my mom and dad as well.
“So, yeah, it means a lot. It means a lot that he reached out. Actually, it means a lot that he waited a few days to reach out, which if he hadn’t have waited that long, I probably would have got it.
“But I caught up with him earlier. It’s always nice when your hero and the guy that you had on your bedroom wall is reaching out and offering words of encouragement.”
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Never meet your heroes…? Unless your name is Rory, and he’s Tiger!
I remember meeting a few members of the Manchester United team when I was younger. It wasn’t any of the big names, but they could still have been classed as my heroes at the time.
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Unfortunately, they acted as if we weren’t there that morning. That hit me hard as a young boy.
It seems that Rory McIlroy didn’t have any of those issues when it came to meeting, and befriending Tiger Woods.
“I get reminded of it or I remind myself of it every day,” McIlroy said.
“I always say this, and it sounds cliche, but I don’t take it for granted that I can wake up every day and try to live out my childhood dream.
“And one of my childhood dreams was to meet Tiger Woods, but not only that, to compete against him and to befriend him and become close to him.
“Yeah, not in my wildest dreams did I think that I’d end up in the position that I’m in, but I’m very grateful for it. I still have to remind myself a lot that this is my life.”
Ever met your childhood hero and been happy with how it went? I wish I could say yes…
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