Guardian: McIlroy Downplays Backlash From “Phoney War”

Warm chuckles will abound when you read Ewan Murray of The Guardian attributing the "backlash" to Rory McIlroy's suggestion that Phil and Tiger are over the hill to...the Ryder Cup?

Murray writes:

With a fortnight to go until the Ryder Cup, the phoney war appears to be under way. The targeting of Rory McIlroy by the United States merely highlights the Northern Irishman’s status and significance in the European camp.

An innocuous press conference answer by McIlroy on Wednesday, regarding Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson being in the latter stages of their careers and with a recent history of injury, landed the 25-year-old in the middle of a contrived storm. Elements of the American media were hardly innocent, having seized upon McIlroy’s – wholly accurate – sentiment.

For the backlash to have occurred, there would first have to be widespread interest in the Ryder Cup, which, in my chats with the man on the street, sounds to be minimal (at best) this year. The venue, the lack of Tiger's presence and poor form by the Americans has made interest light. I hope that changes.

As for the British press suggesting American's are drumming up controversy for the sake of creating Ryder Cup interest? Do I dare suggest that the experts on phoney wars are speaking and it would be wrong to disagree with them?