Rory McIlroy Apologizes for Not Talking to Media After Loss to Tiger Woods
March 30, 2019
Rory McIlroy was a media darling after winning the Players Championship on St. Patrick's Day, but the 29-year-old Irishman wasn't as jovial following a 2 and 1 loss to Tiger Woods in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Sweet 16 on Saturday.
McIlroy swiftly bypassed the media and left the Austin Country Club in Texas following his loss. He then posted an apology to Instagram from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, presumably after he cooled off:
"I want to apologize to the media for not giving them any of my time after the match this morning. Although I was disappointed with how the match ended, I showed real patience and persistence to claw a couple of holes back on the back 9, then squandered a great opportunity to get back to all square on 16.
"Definitely one I let get away but I'll learn and move on. I wish Tiger the best for the rest of the tournament, he made a couple of clutch putts on 15 and 17 to shut the door. See everyone at Augusta."
McIlroy had gone 3-0-0 in group play prior to his match against Woods. However, Woods pristinely maneuvered the front nine to gain a 2-up advantage. McIlroy scrapped to cut it to 1-up on 13, but Woods—as McIlroy said—slammed the door with an up-and-down on 17.
Woods would go on to lose in the quarterfinals to Lucas Bjerregaard. McIlroy and Woods will next have a chance to avenge early WGC Match Play exits when the Masters begins on April 11.