Is it too soon to say that Rory McIlroy gets it? For a young man who is constantly compared to Tiger Woods, McIlroy has done an awfully great job of remaining grounded — or at least giving us the impression that he has. Whether it is begging for his ex-girlfriend back or pounding Jagermeister, the 22-year-old comes across as someone who can relate to the common fan.
A couple weeks ago we told you how we think the Tiger Woods comparisons can only help McIlroy and keep him from making similar mistakes along his career path. In other words, Rory should focus on keeping his golf game where Tiger’s was throughout the best years of his career and avoiding all the “other stuff” — like having extra security guards follow you around at The Open Championship.
According to The Independent, McIlroy kindly declined the offer to have personal security guards with him during The Open. The reason? He would rather not snub his fans.
“I asked him if he wanted extra security but he said no,” McIlroy’s manager, Andrew Chandler, said. “It will be the same for Rory as for any other player. He wants to remain accessible to his fans.”
Rory is saying no to the added security despite playing closer to his home and despite teeing off at 9:09 a.m. — what is considered prime time for a big golf tournament. Bottom line: the kid gets it. If I had Rory McIlroy’s girlfriend, I probably would too.
