Rory McIlroy admits walking off golf course was a mistake
The PGA champion told 'Sports Illustrated' in an interview he should not have quit playing in the second round of last week's Honda Classic in Florida, no matter how badly he was playing at the time.
Rory McIlroy of Ireland reacts to his fairway shot on the 2nd hole during the first round of play in the Honda Classic PGA golf tournament in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida last week.
Brian Blanco/REUTERS
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Rory McIlroy says he should have finished his second round at the Honda Classic, telling Sports Illustrated magazine that "it was not the right thing to do" to walk out after eight holes of his second round.
McIlroy was 7-over for the round and headed toward another missed cut when he hit his second shot into the water on the 18th and abruptly withdrew without finishing the hole. On his way to the parking lot, he reporters that his head was not in the right place. He later issued a statement that his wisdom tooth was causing pain.
"It was a reactive decision," McIlroy told the magazine in a telephone interview Sunday night. "What I should have done is take my drop, chip it on, try to make a 5 and play my hardest on the back nine, even if I shot 85. What I did was not good for the tournament, not good for the kids and the fans who were out there watching me. It was not the right thing to do."
The 23-year-old from Northern Ireland said his lower wisdom teeth are growing sideways and he has been prescribed a painkiller, which he did not use Friday. Even so, he said it was frustration over his swing that led to him leaving.
