Read more: Why Rory McIlroy is happier to be British and not Irish
Rory McIlroy’s comments that he felt more British than Irish in a Daily Mail interview have caused a storm of controversy.
Through his Twitter account McIlroy stated that he had made no decision.
“Having just won three of my last four tournaments, including a second Major championship, I was hoping that my success on the golf course would be the more popular topic of golfing conversation today. However the issue of my cultural identity has re-emerged, and with it, the matter of my national allegiance ahead of the Rio Olympics in 2016.
“I am in an extremely sensitive and difficult position and I conveyed as much in a recent newspaper interview. I am a proud product of Irish golf and the Golfing Union of Ireland and am hugely honoured to have come from very rich Irish sporting roots, winning Irish Boys, Youths and Amateur titles and playing for Ireland at all levels. I am also a proud Ulsterman who grew up in Northern Ireland which is part of the United Kingdom. That is my background and always will be.
“I receive huge support from Irish and British sports fans alike and it is greatly appreciated. Likewise I feel I have a great affinity with the American sports fans. I play most of my golf in the US nowadays and I am incredibly proud to have won the US Open and US PGA Championship in the last two years.
“As an international sportsman I am very lucky to be supported by people all over the world, many of whom treat me as one of their own, not matter what their nationality, or indeed mine. This is the way sport should be.
“Since turning professional at 18, I have travelled the world playing the game that I love and consider myself a global player. As the World No.1 right now, I wish to be a positive role model and a sportsperson that people respect, and enjoy watching. I feel very fortunate to be in a position to play the sport that I love professionally and to have enjoyed the success that has come my way.
“I wish to clarify that I have absolutely not made a decision regarding my participation in the next Olympics. On a personal level, playing in the Olympics would be a huge honour. However, the Games in Rio are still four years away and I certainly won’t be making any decisions with regards to participating any time soon.
“The Olympics will be great for the growth of golf on a global scale, but my focus right now is on being the best player I can be, trying to win Major Championships and contributing to what will hopefully be a victorious European side at the forthcoming Ryder Cup Matches against the USA.
“Lastly, I would like to thank everyone for the amazing support that I receive around the world every time I play. It is hugely appreciated.
Read more: Why Rory McIlroy is happier to be British and not Irish
13 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Ed.Shevlin | Sep 13, 2012, 11:47 AM EDT
Likely there would be no controversy if we had a united Ireland. Citizenship is one thing; heritage another. So he was born in the North ... If a cat had her litter in an oven would you call them biscuits?
katco | Sep 12, 2012, 11:05 AM EDT
I cannot believe some of the immature comments on here. The guy feels British, he has a British passport but to appease the minority (I hope) of insecure people from the Republic he has to say how he feels loyalty to them too. I understand the support he had from Ireland golf before but he has also had a lot of support from British government and monarch who he sees as his leaders. He may well change his mind and if he does I dare say there will be a host of Brits on here doing the same thing that the Irish are. It's pathetic. If he wasn't good, no one would care. Let him make his decision and if those people in Ireland are truly patriotic for everyone from the island of Ireland then they'll be supporting him in GB colours too!
IrelandNorth | Sep 12, 2012, 07:22 AM EDT
Maggie Thatcher seemed to think flags were important when she engaged in a spot of good ol' fashioned Victorian imperial gingoism over the Argentinian Islas de Malvinas. The whole Island of Ireland was a part of the United Kingdom (UK) from 1800/'01 because a majority of a minority landowning gentry voted it's very own Protestant Parliament in Dublin into extinction - not entirely uninfluenced by hefty bribes and promises of peerages! Northern[ised] Ireland (NI) continues to be a part of the UK because a majority of a la carte democrats in this gerrymandered neo-provincial statelet demand that it be so. Alas, young Rúadhrí is not responsible for the peculiar constitutional circumstances in which he finds himself. But does it have to be either Team Ireland or Team GB (Great Britain). Can it not be both in different events, or neither in all? Why not play for Team USA, and avoid all the inevitable acrimony.
IrelandNorth | Sep 12, 2012, 07:22 AM EDT
Maggie Thatcher seemed to think flags were important when she engaged in a spot of good ol' fashioned Victorian imperial gingoism over the Argentinian Islas de Malvinas. The whole Island of Ireland was a part of the United Kingdom (UK) from 1800/'01 because a majority of a minority landowning gentry voted it's very own Protestant Parliament in Dublin into extinction - not entirely uninfluenced by hefty bribes and promises of peerages! Northern[ised] Ireland (NI) continues to be a part of the UK because a majority of a la carte democrats in this gerrymandered neo-provincial statelet demand that it be so. Alas, young Rúadhrí is not responsible for the peculiar constitutional circumstances in which he finds himself. But does it have to be either Team Ireland or Team GB (Great Britain). Can it not be both in different events, or neither in all? Why not play for Team USA, and avoid all the inevitable acrimony.
cillowen | Sep 11, 2012, 06:56 PM EDT
Britain's new heros according to news media are mcilroy and murray. that covers it nicely as most viewers think only of that being by default merry o. The frustration of avid tennis watcher trying to make sense of such spoke mightily to the "by design" one-sided credit. When these cats come acropper they get full of notice for their humble origin, mark my words - Jock and Paddy or Taffy.
brendan gillen | Sep 11, 2012, 05:56 PM EDT
I grew up in Sligo in the 50s and it was no bed of roses. I was glad to get away to England. I have no quarrel with the English, I think everybody should own one. And since they lost their empire they're a little more down to earth. So Rory, good for you.
brendan gillen | Sep 11, 2012, 05:53 PM EDT
Good on you Rory. No matter what you or anybody else says, you are Irish. It does not matter what side of the border you were born on. You, Rory, can be a bridge between the warring fractions in Northern Ireland. The Brits gave you a chance and you took it and ran with it and your showed the world what an Irishman can do. Screw the begrudgers.
TisEyerish | Sep 11, 2012, 02:27 PM EDT
I say...let the Brits have him. He's no Irishman.
Searlit | Sep 11, 2012, 01:51 PM EDT
Good comments, especially by christilcaugh. I think Rory would do better to not keep emphasizing his feelings, at this point. He appears to have spoken from the heart. Those that feel hurt by his references to the UK, do need to let it go - I include myself, in this group.
citizen69 | Sep 11, 2012, 12:57 PM EDT
Well said pilib04
pilib04 | Sep 11, 2012, 12:01 PM EDT
Whoever this MichaelMcGrath is, will someone lend him a hand in understanding sports. Obviously the lad does not read for content or he would bloody well know that Rory is a golfer and at present the best in the world. Ulster folks are proud of Rory as are the rest of Ireland. It's only a handful of malcontents on this blog that seem to think flags are important. Rory is playing a sport not running for Taoiseach or First Minister.
MichaelMcGrath | Sep 11, 2012, 10:34 AM EDT
I don't think it matters, after all he's not all that important. He's only a tennis player , champion of a snob's game, not some genius. Let him off , the Brit:-)
christilcaugh | Sep 11, 2012, 09:50 AM EDT
Here's hoping that the passionate for Ireland will realize that to get past the divide and bring the partisan's to the understanding of a WHOLE Ireland one must let go and ignore these type of comments.