Remembering the first time Rory McIlroy played with Tiger Woods on tour

Fourteen years ago, Rory McIlroy played with his hero Tiger Woods for the first time at an official professional tournament as they teed up together in the second round of the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club in California.
The then-21-year-old had played a skins game with Woods before the Memorial tournament that year, but it was the first time in a tour setting, a reward of the final group after McIlroy’s opening 66. His round alongside Woods proved more difficult than his first round beside friend Graeme McDowell, shooting a 70 to Woods’ 66 as the American took a four-shot lead in his own tournament.
Reflecting on his experience many years later, McIlroy said: “I’ve never said ‘good shot’ as much in my life playing with anyone as I did that day. It was just good shot, good shot, good shot’.
“I felt pretty nervous the first few holes, but then I settled in and sort of did my thing, was playing okay. Afterwards, inevitably you compare yourself to him and what you’ve just seen. I was thinking, definitely he’s better than me there and I can definitely hang with him there and I need to do better with this.”
After his round, Woods was complimentary of the young Irishman saying: “I enjoy playing with Rory. We were chatting about different types of subjects. He’s one of the best players in the world. He’s got so much talent.”
Woods had been searching for his first tour win since his extra-martial affairs scandal and looked odds-on for that to happen. McDowell had other ideas, beating Woods in a dramatic playoff two days later to cap a career year. McIlroy finished fourth.
Tom McKibbin gets his 2024/25 DP World Tour season under way this week at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
The biggest event of the tour’s “opening swing”, a series of five southern hemisphere events before Christmas, there is a $6 million prize fund, which is as high as any non-Major or Rolex Series event.
Last year’s champion Max Homa headlines a limited field in Sun City in South Africa which offers the Northern Irishman a good opportunity for world ranking and Ryder Cup points.
McKibbin will also play next week in South Africa at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and has been included on the GB & I team for the Team Cup against continental Europe in Abu Dhabi in early January before his next adventure stateside to take up a PGA Tour card for the first time.
On the PGA Tour, world number one Scottie Scheffler is making his first professional appearance in three months at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. His presence at the event lifts a tournament that has lost some lustre over the years. Host Tiger Woods pulled out through injury, while Ludvig Aberg and Wyndham Clark are the only other top 10 players appearing.
It is a big week for Ireland’s Sara Byrne and Lauren Walsh, who try their hand at the LPGA Q-Series Final Qualifying at Magnolia Grove Golf Club in Alabama.
The duo are looking to join Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow on the premium tour in the women’s game. More than 100 players will be competing for a card, with the top 25 and ties getting a place on the LPGA Tour next season.
“This is something I have dreamt of since I was eight or nine years of age so getting to live it out is pretty cool,” said Byrne after qualifying through the opening stage in October.
Byrne was a star of GB & I’s Curtis Cup team during the summer, capping an impressive amateur career, while Walsh comes into the week in form after a fine tied-16th finish at last week’s Spanish Open on the Ladies European Tour.
The number in dollars that PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan reportedly earned in regular and deferred compensation in 2023. That includes a base salary of $1,887,096, bonuses and incentives of $12.1m, $2.5m in estimated benefits to come after he retires and $6.7 million in post-2023 long-term incentive compensation, a $4.4 million increase on 2022.
“I turned up pretty tired from all the travel and Q-School and everything. Didn’t get a practice round here with the weather. I didn’t really have any expectations, which probably helped me in the end.”
Ryggs Johnston after he won on the DP World Tour on only his second start at the Australian Open
See you at Royal Portrush 👋 Congratulations to Ryggs Johnston, Curtis Luck and Marc Leishman on gaining a spot at @TheOpen 🎫
The Open account congratulates tree players who qualify for the Major next year through the Australian Open.
I just watched this movie called Trap. Honestly the worst movie I’ve ever seen. If you’ve seen this movie, plz reach out and discuss. I need community at this time. Thank u
Max Homa not a fan of the newly released M. Night Shyamalan film.
Tony Finau out Sepp Straka in. Let the LIV speculation continue.
Golf oddsmaker Jeff Sherman on rumours that the American will join the breakaway tour after Finau pulled out of the Hero World Challenge.
Q: Your opponent in a matchplay match is across the fairway waiting to play their next shot. While the group in front of you clears, they get out a separate practice golf ball from his bag and starts hitting chips back and forth. What is the ruling?
A: This is a violation of Rule 5.5a as it is considering practising during a round if you hit a golf ball or any ball similar in size. The penalty is a loss of hole in match play.
Ryggs Johnston – Australian Open
Driver: TaylorMade, Qi10
Woods: TaylorMade,Qi10
Irons: TaylorMade, P-7MC and P-7TW
Wedges: TaylorMade, Milled Grind 4
60-degree wedge: Titleist, Vokey SM10-WW Proto
Putter: TaylorMade, Spider Tour X
Ball: Titleist, Pro V1 (23)