Rory McIlroy played two rounds with Tiger Woods this week at Riviera, and now he’s ready for a break.
Woods shot a five-over 76 on Friday afternoon to miss the cut by four shots. As expected, his group, which included McIlroy and Justin Thomas, was the most-followed threesome on the course. It was Woods’s third event since returning from back surgery last December, and afterward, McIlroy said the extra attention, and swarm of loud fans, is costing Woods on his scorecard.
“I swear, playing in front of all that, he gives up half a shot a day on the field. Like, it’s two shots he has to give to the field because of all that goes on around (him),” McIlroy said. “So whether that calms down the more he plays and it doesn’t become such a novelty that he’s back out playing again because it’s – it’s tiring.
“I need a couple Advil just to – I’ve got a headache after all that.”
For his part McIlroy appeared to have a fun rapport with Woods on the course while shooting a two-under 69 on Friday. McIlroy enters the weekend tied for 15th while seeking his first PGA Tour title since the 2016 Tour Championship. Woods announced Friday that he will play again next week at the Honda Classic.
