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Rory McIlroy won’t back down from all the controversies

Rory McIlroy ruffled a lot of feathers in the sports world Tuesday when he denounced golf as an irrelevant Olympic sport.
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy reacts to making his putt on the 6th Green during his first round on the opening day of the 2016 British Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland on July 14, 2016. All eyes were on golf's so-called 'Big Four' as the 145th British Open started in beautiful early morning sunshine at Royal Troon on Scotland's west coast on Thursday. Ben STANSALL / AFP

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy reacts to making his putt on the 6th Green during his first round on the opening day of the 2016 British Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland on July 14, 2016. All eyes were on golf’s so-called ‘Big Four’ as the 145th British Open started in beautiful early morning sunshine at Royal Troon on Scotland’s west coast on Thursday.<br />Ben STANSALL / AFP

Rory McIlroy ruffled a lot of feathers in the sports world Tuesday when he denounced golf as an irrelevant Olympic sport.

McIlroy came off as selfish when he said he didn’t get into golf to “grow the game,’’ only to “win tournaments.’’

After his British Open first-round 69 yesterday at Troon, McIlroy said it was “actually nice’’ to talk about golf instead of the Olympics, his decision to skip them and his apparent disdain for them.

He attempted to soften the blow from his harsh comments, but he did not back off on his Olympic stance.

“Yeah, I think I would have elaborated a little bit on the ‘grow-the-game’ comment,’’ McIlroy said. “Obviously, I feel like I do my bit to grow the game. It’s not as if I’m uninterested. I feel like golf is a great vehicle to … I don’t want to force golf on anyone. But I feel like golf is a great vehicle to instill values in kids.

“I’m an ambassador for the PGA Junior League, I do some stuff for the First Tee in the States, and I feel like I’ve used my success in golf in a very positive way in the community. Look, the next generation can play golf if they want or they don’t. It won’t make me any less happy.

“But if I can somehow make a positive change in the world by what I do on the golf course, whether that means raise money for charity or give kids more of a chance in life growing up, I’ve been very fortunate to do what I’ve done in golf, and I feel like I’ve used that success in a positive way.

“I have no regrets about where I stand on certain things, but I wish I maybe would have just elaborated a little bit more on what I said.’’

McIlroy did not back down from his Olympic comments, suggesting it’s not an uncommon viewpoint among golf’s top players.

“I still don’t think I’m the only one,” McIlroy said. “Look, it’s my opinion. I think my opinion’s shared by a few people, but some people may think it’s wrong and that’s fine. But I’ve spent seven years trying to please everyone, and I figured out that I can’t really do that, so I may as well be true to myself.’’

• Culled from nypost.com.

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