RORY MCILROY’S US Open preparations took an unusual detour last night as he swapped golf ball for baseball, taking the mound to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a San Francisco Giants game.
The Northern Irishman is in the Bay Area as he prepares to defend his major crown at the Olympic Club this weekend and was offered the honour as part of the Giants’ “Irish Heritage Night”.
The pitch was high and wide but at least McIlroy didn’t disgrace himself.
“I thought it was pretty good for my first time,” he told CSN’s Amy Gutierrez afterwards. “I thought I did an okay job.”
“I kept it in the air which was the most important thing. I didn’t want to bounce it to him.”