Legal eagles wait for birdie-chasing Rory

This week, a tournament on one of his favourite courses; next week, a Dublin courtroom for an explosive legal battle. Photo: Ahmed Jadallah

This week, a tournament on one of his favourite courses; next week, a Dublin courtroom for an explosive legal battle. Photo: Ahmed Jadallah

Published Jan 29, 2015

Share

London - This week, a tournament on one of his favourite courses; next week, a Dublin courtroom for an explosive legal battle.

For the next four days, Rory McIlroy is the star attraction at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Next Tuesday he is suing his former management company and being countersued, with millions of euros at stake.

For months McIlroy has insisted he has had no problem separating these two worlds: that what might happen in court has been no distraction.

His stunning sequence of results rather bears that out but with the court case now so close, he admits it is becoming harder not to let the mind wander.

“It is not really something you want hanging over your head,” said the world No 1.

“It is a shame it has gone this far but it’s hard when two sides see things completely differently.

“The only way seems to be to get a judge to sort it out and tell us what to do. Hopefully it will not take too long and that it will be all over and done with and we can all move on.

“It has been a very tedious and nasty process at times. I’m looking forward to heading to the States with it off my mind and not having to deal with it or think about it.”

Can he go four days here without thinking about it? It should help that this is a place filled with happy memories. “I first played in this event as an amateur 10 years ago, which is hard to imagine,” he said.

“Then I had my first pro victory here, so I guess this was the place where it all began. I think when you get your first win you move to a different level and that victory proved the basis for what I have gone on to achieve in the last six years.

“So let’s see what we can do this week. It would certainly be nice to return to the victory trail. It does feel like a long time since my last win.

“But I am comfortable on this course and so hopefully I can head off to America with a win under my belt.”

McIlroy will play three events in the States in the build-up to the Masters, when he will be trying to win a third major in a row and become just the sixth golfer to complete the career Grand Slam. ‘This feels like the week when the golf season has well and truly begun,’ he said.

“In Phoenix you’ve got Tiger playing and Phil Mickelson, while here we’ve got a great field with Henrik (Stenson), Martin (Kaymer), Sergio (Garcia) and G-Mac. And it won’t be long before the Masters rolls along.”

He’s right about that. But it might feel like a long time next week.

Daily Mail

Related Topics: