Rory McIlroy gained fame for his strong play on golf courses worldwide, and although his performance has declined, fans remain eager to watch him compete.
Sky Sports hosts have supported the network’s extensive focus on Rory McIlroy, even though the golfer is not performing well.
Andrew Coltart and Laura Davies provided golf enthusiasts with coverage of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship over the weekend, in which McIlroy ended up T25 with a total score of -4. McIlroy has secured victory in just two PGA Tour events this year, claiming the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Shane Lowry in April and the Wells Fargo Championship in May.
He started the year by winning the DP Tour at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January, but his current three victories are nowhere near what he was accomplishing in his prime at 35 years old. Despite not winning a major tournament in a decade, fans are questioning why McIlroy continues to receive substantial TV coverage, especially since his last major win was in 2014 at the PGA Championship in Valhalla
Still, Coltart and Davies noted that McIlroy continues to attract a significant amount of viewers in 2024, as evidenced by his large following at the Old Course St Andrews on Sunday, which exceeded the numbers following the competitive match between Hatton and Colsaerts.
Coltart observed that despite Rory McIlroy being out of contention, the crowd is still following him instead of potential winner, Tyrrell Hatton, who is on the other nine holes. “What is being conveyed in that message?”
In the meantime, Davies also mentioned: “We do receive criticism for constantly talking about Rory McIlroy, but that is simply what the audience desires.” Evidence supports it.
Hatton emerged victorious over Colsaerts in the tournament’s last round, claiming his third title at Dunhill Links by finishing with a score of -24 compared to the Belgian’s -23. Both players were tied at -23 as they approached the 18th hole in the last round, but Hatton, 32, made an impressive birdie while Colsaerts had to settle for a par.
Even though McIlroy scored below par in all four rounds of the tournament, he was unable to match the top contenders and ended up finishing in T25 with Padraig Harrington, Robert MacIntyre, Scott Jamieson, and six other players. The man from Northern Ireland will be looking for a more positive outcome at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship next month.
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