THE SECOND DAY of the Irish Open at Killarney is under way this morning. But it’s events off course that are dominating the headlines.
US Open champion Rory McIlroylashed out on Twitter after a golf commentator Jay Townsend criticised his first-round performance in Kerry yesterday.
Townswend, an American who is best known for his work with the BBC, wrote on the site: “McIlroy’s course management was shocking. Some of the worst course management I have ever seen beyond under-10 boys’ golf competition.”
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McIlroy, whose caddy JP Fitzgerald took some slack after the player’s final-round Augusta collapse, responded angrily:
Afterwards the Holywood man wrote: “Well, I stand by my caddie” McIlroy added. Townswend – who is also in Killarney for the weekend – wrote:
In the wake of the public spat, influential commentator Erik Kuselias weighed in on the influential Golf Channel – calling the Irishman a ‘spoilt brat’.
“This is a kid on the fast track to likeability but this was not a likeable tweet,” he told the channel’s millions of viewers,
“He comes across as a spoiled brat who thinks he is entitled and it doesn’t make you want to root for him. It was childish and immature, a dumb thing said by a kid who we probably anointed too quickly as the new face of golf.”
Kuselias added that he expects McIlroy to apologise to Townsend this morning. But McIlroy explained later that this latest ‘dig’ was the latest in a three-year campaign by Townsend.
“It’s the first time I’ve responded, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he said.
So what do you think? Should Rory apologise for his comments?
Northern Ireland population 1.8 million – it’s players have won 3 of the last 6 majors. USA population 307 million – it’s players have won 0 of last 6 majors. Shut up Townsend and well said Rory.
I don’t see the big deal, people have little digs at each other.. It’s human nature get over it. Whats annoying is others throwing in there 2 cents deciding what McIlroy is thinking and what he should do, labeling him a brat etc. It’s just trying to blow up a non event for whatever reason.
If he had been playing 10-15 years and came out with an outburst like this it would be more of an issue.
The lad is only now learning to deal with the immense pressure put on him to be the face of golf in Tigers absence. Getting annoyed after f***ing up and lashing out is not exactly a new phenomenon in young men.
Should he say “Sorry” ? No. Absolutely not!
The man should be allowed to stand-up for himself and be allowed to say how he feels.
…Or have some decided that free speech only applies to others only?
Stuff Jay Townsend – if he can’t take it – he shouldn’t dish it out!
I don’t think the problem is Jay Townsend can’t take it, the problem I think is Rory is now a highly world ranked golfer, so as a professional he should be more professional about his choice of comments to a person in the same profession, in other words rise above certain things that are said in the media , because in your position you will plenty of it.
Jay Townsend as a commentator is also in that regard then, supposed to be acting in a professional manner both as a golfer and as a TV/Media commentator. He apparently has been shown to be in actual fact nothing than a low level troll in his consistent comments to Rory and/or anything he does, or even his caddies do.
Apparently the matter has being going on for some time – and up to now the only signs of professionalism had been from Rory and he stayed silent for so long.
…But having said that, you can only beat an animal so much repeatedly till at some stage for your disguising actions, its bound (rightly I feel) to snap back and indicate “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”
…A person cannot be walked on for ever or be expected to be treated like so! If anyone thinks a person should be consistently treated like schite non-stop and not stand up for themselves, they have their head up their arse in skewered wrong perspective!
“McIlroy, who’s caddy JP Fitzgerald took some slack…”
For crying out loud, all you do is copy stuff off the internets. At least get your basic grammar right!
Your headline and question are misleading! Headline is asking was he right to tell the commentator to shut up, whereas your poll question asks should he apologise. Some people will go straight to the poll after reading the headline and answer without reading the question!
For the record, I think he was right to stand up for his caddy, but he needs to learn how to do this and more importantly, how not to do this.
Should he f*ck say sorry. If Townsend wants to criticise his play and/or course management, he should do so without having to resort to snide jibes about “under 10″ tournaments. The chap is #4 in the world FFS!
If you lead with your chin, you can usually expect a smack in the mouth.
That’s what Townsend got, and he didn’t like it. F*ck him.
What a golfer, but he needs to stop moaning last week it was the weather ( I thought he was Irish) this week getting involved with a tv. commentator, What next
I don’t get your apparent and actual fact on the same sentence, but anyway if Rory keeps on twitting knee jerk re actions after someone makes insensitive comments he will end up losing his place on the top of the pile quite quickly. Come on Rory we know your better than that do your talking on the course that’s what got you there.
If the comentator posted on twitter then Rory was well within his right to tweet back, the other guy should apologise for being an ass!!!Go Rory, down with the begrudgers
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Play the ball not the man, he should have attacked his comments and not gone after him personally
What Abu
Northern Ireland population 1.8 million – it’s players have won 3 of the last 6 majors. USA population 307 million – it’s players have won 0 of last 6 majors. Shut up Townsend and well said Rory.
I don’t see the big deal, people have little digs at each other.. It’s human nature get over it. Whats annoying is others throwing in there 2 cents deciding what McIlroy is thinking and what he should do, labeling him a brat etc. It’s just trying to blow up a non event for whatever reason.
he should let it go over his head and go off and count all his money
Let his golf do the talking
If he had been playing 10-15 years and came out with an outburst like this it would be more of an issue.
The lad is only now learning to deal with the immense pressure put on him to be the face of golf in Tigers absence. Getting annoyed after f***ing up and lashing out is not exactly a new phenomenon in young men.
Should he say “Sorry” ? No. Absolutely not!
The man should be allowed to stand-up for himself and be allowed to say how he feels.
…Or have some decided that free speech only applies to others only?
Stuff Jay Townsend – if he can’t take it – he shouldn’t dish it out!
I don’t think the problem is Jay Townsend can’t take it, the problem I think is Rory is now a highly world ranked golfer, so as a professional he should be more professional about his choice of comments to a person in the same profession, in other words rise above certain things that are said in the media , because in your position you will plenty of it.
Jay Townsend as a commentator is also in that regard then, supposed to be acting in a professional manner both as a golfer and as a TV/Media commentator. He apparently has been shown to be in actual fact nothing than a low level troll in his consistent comments to Rory and/or anything he does, or even his caddies do.
Apparently the matter has being going on for some time – and up to now the only signs of professionalism had been from Rory and he stayed silent for so long.
…But having said that, you can only beat an animal so much repeatedly till at some stage for your disguising actions, its bound (rightly I feel) to snap back and indicate “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”
…A person cannot be walked on for ever or be expected to be treated like so! If anyone thinks a person should be consistently treated like schite non-stop and not stand up for themselves, they have their head up their arse in skewered wrong perspective!
“McIlroy, who’s caddy JP Fitzgerald took some slack…”
For crying out loud, all you do is copy stuff off the internets. At least get your basic grammar right!
Your headline and question are misleading! Headline is asking was he right to tell the commentator to shut up, whereas your poll question asks should he apologise. Some people will go straight to the poll after reading the headline and answer without reading the question!
For the record, I think he was right to stand up for his caddy, but he needs to learn how to do this and more importantly, how not to do this.
thanks Barry – I changed the heading in case there was any confusion.
He should have remembered that all his comments on twitter are in the public domain. To be honest I don’t see the point in twitter anyway.
Should he f*ck say sorry. If Townsend wants to criticise his play and/or course management, he should do so without having to resort to snide jibes about “under 10″ tournaments. The chap is #4 in the world FFS!
If you lead with your chin, you can usually expect a smack in the mouth.
That’s what Townsend got, and he didn’t like it. F*ck him.
Sure there only media. We all know the media are scum.
What a golfer, but he needs to stop moaning last week it was the weather ( I thought he was Irish) this week getting involved with a tv. commentator, What next
I don’t get your apparent and actual fact on the same sentence, but anyway if Rory keeps on twitting knee jerk re actions after someone makes insensitive comments he will end up losing his place on the top of the pile quite quickly. Come on Rory we know your better than that do your talking on the course that’s what got you there.
If the comentator posted on twitter then Rory was well within his right to tweet back, the other guy should apologise for being an ass!!!Go Rory, down with the begrudgers