July 31st 2024.
Rory McIlroy is getting ready to take on the Olympic stage once again, proudly representing Ireland in the upcoming Paris games. The 35-year-old, who hails from Northern Ireland, will be competing in his second Olympics, following his debut in Tokyo last year.
Although McIlroy was eligible to represent Team GB, he made the decision to play for Ireland three years ago and has never looked back. In the Tokyo games, he and his teammate Shane Lowry narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing in fourth place. But this time around, they are determined to bring home a place on the podium for their country.
Many have questioned why McIlroy chose to represent Ireland over Team GB. The golfer himself has revealed that it all goes back to his amateur career. Before turning professional, he played for Ireland and saw no reason to change that for the Olympics. And thanks to an agreement between the Olympic Federation of Ireland and the British Olympic Association, athletes are given the freedom to choose which team they want to represent.
In an interview with The Guardian earlier this month, McIlroy shared his thoughts on his decision, saying, "I had a sense of resentment towards the Olympics because I had always tried to stay so neutral and it presented me with this option of, what are you going to do? I had to get over that. All of my amateur career I played for Ireland. I was very proud to play for Ireland. So why would I do anything differently as a professional?"
He also likened the experience to the Ryder Cup, where he had made comments before actually experiencing it. But now, he is excited to go back and be a part of the Olympics once again. And he believes that the upcoming games in Paris will be even better, as he will get to attend other events as well.
Looking back on his decision in 2021, McIlroy admits that he made it more complicated than it needed to be. He initially worried about what others would think, but once he let go of that and focused on what was right for him, the choice was clear. "My feeling towards it was more, 'What will other people think?'" he said. "Once I got that out of my head and just tried to do what was right for me, then it became easy."
Ultimately, the decision to represent Ireland was an easy one for McIlroy. He has been playing golf for the country throughout his life, from his junior and amateur days to now in the professional game. So, it only made sense for him to continue doing so in the Olympics. As he put it, "All I've done throughout my life is play golf for Ireland, so why would that change just because the tournament has changed? That was my decision." And it's a decision that he stands by proudly.
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