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Rory McIlroy warmed up for this week’s Olympic Games just like everyone else hoping to come away from Paris with a medal on Sunday – with a round at St Andrews’ Old Course, obviously.
(Yes, we can’t believe he made it through the ballot either!)
As you might expect when one of the best players to ever pick up a golf club is poking about on not only a public golf course but the most famous patch of this sport’s land, it drew quite a crowd.
Our very own equipment expert and Home of Golf resident James Tait was there – and he caught this rather lovely shot of McIlroy carving a “bullet fade” down 16…
Rory McIlroy hitting a bullet fade down the 16th of The Old Course today 💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/BTWBDtZLRi
— James Tait (@jamestait89) July 29, 2024
And by the time the four-time major champ had reached the 18th, there were plenty of photographers on hand…
🚨🏠🏌️♂️ #CASUAL ROUND — Rory McIlroy was seen launching rockets off the tee at St Andrews today before heading to Paris. #OlympicGames
🥇Will Rory walk away with a gold medal?
(Via: @fried_egg_golf) @TrackingRory
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) July 29, 2024
• Everything you need to know ahead of the Paris Olympics
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But by far the best bit to come from McIlroy’s day out in St Andrews was a clip of him giving it back to a few Americans heckling him from The Links as he finished up his round.
After a few cries of “Rory!” and bit of whooping and hollering, one of the spectators cries: “New York loves you!”
Rory smiles and politely waves, while the fan decides to narrow down his location: “The Bronx, baby! The Bronx! The Bronx in the house!”
But before this gentleman can get to his next heckle – which we can only presume was to be revealing his full address – McIlroy remembers that the 2025 Ryder Cup is at Bethpage in New York and steps in with a cracking jibe of his own.
“You’re not going to love us next year!”
You can watch the full clip, which was posted by The Secret of St Andrews Podcast account, here…
Rory McIlroy getting in round on the Old Course. Love his response to over served American. #RoryMcllroy #oldcourse #standrews #yourenotgonnaloveusnextyear pic.twitter.com/JwpRjMN5DW
— The Secret of St. Andrews Podcast (@standrews_1759) July 29, 2024
McIlroy will represent Ireland at this week’s Olympic Games golf tournament, which begin on Thursday at Le Golf National – where McIlroy won two points from five in the 2018 Ryder Cup.
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