Rory Says He's Always Felt More British Than Irish, Officially Commencing Four Year Effort To Let Ireland Down Easy

Derek Lawrenson got Rory McIlroy talking on a variety of topics in a Daily Mail interview.

Yet all anyone will talk about in Ireland is this bit, which would seem to be a well-calculated decision to begin laying the groundwork for the choice he'll have to make before the 2016 Olympics: which country he'll represent.

‘What makes it such an awful position to be in is I have grown up my whole life playing for Ireland under the Golfing Union of Ireland umbrella,’ he said. ‘But the fact is, I’ve always felt more British than Irish.

‘Maybe it was the way I was brought up, I don’t know, but I have always felt more of a connection with the UK than with Ireland.

Even after that opening ceremony? Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt. Go on...

And so I have to weigh that up against the fact that I’ve always played for Ireland and so it is tough. Whatever I do, I know my decision is going to upset some people but I just hope the vast majority will understand.’

This is the first time McIlroy has unequivocally declared an affinity for the UK over  Ireland and it will certainly go down like a lead balloon in some quarters.

Those quarters being here.

Meanwhile, bad news for those hoping Caroline Wozniacki would be livening up the European contingent with her presence at the Ryder Cup.

Wozniacki will be in Tokyo during the Ryder Cup and so will miss the biennial parade of the spouses and girlfriends that has bizarrely become part of the occasion. ‘You never know, she might be lucky enough to experience it  all at wild and wet Gleneagles in 2014,’ he said, mischievously.