Rory Speaks: Realizes He Should Have Finished His Round
/Michael Bamberger scored an exclusive Sunday night conversation with the lad who admitted that his quitting on the ninth hole of the Honda Classic was a "reactive decision" and that he knew soon after he left the course.
The wisdom tooth issue appears to have been exaggerated. I know you're shocked to learn this.
On Monday his Belfast dentist, Mark Conroy, faxed a letter to the PGA Tour offices describing McIlroy’s condition with both of his lower wisdom teeth. McIlroy said he wore braces for a period last year in an effort to create separation for the two teeth, one of which he said was “growing sideways.” He also said he has been prescribed a painkiller, which he did not use on Friday but will use as needed until he next sees Conroy, most likely after the U.S. Open in June. At that time, his lower right wisdom tooth is expected to be pulled.
Now it's after the U.S. Open?
On Friday, within a half hour of shaking hands with Els and Wilson, McIlroy knew that by quitting he had done the wrong thing. He drove to his home, in a gated development in Jupiter, with his instructor, Michael Bannon, and his caddie, J.P. Fitzgerald. Soon after, he was joined by his parents, Rosie and Gerry, and by liaison Sean O’Flaherty, who works for Horizon Sports Management, the Dublin agency that represents McIlroy. Rory spoke by phone to his agent, Conor Ridge. “By the time I got home I was saying, ‘We need to reassess here,’ ” McIlroy said.
"Reassess" was apparently in reference to his swing, which he worked on with Michael Bannon over the weekend, and not in reference to spinning the PR aftermath.