Back in 2020, when COVID was ablaze, golf was one of the first few sports to be back. With no fans at the course to cheer, the cameras and hot mics caught various conversations between players. The viewers heard a lot of f***s when shots were duffed. Along with that, they also heard Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy talking.
During the 2020 PGA Championship, a hot mic picked up on Tiger explaining to Rory, who didn’t “know enough about baseball,” in soccer terms, how intense the enmity is between two teams in Major League Baseball.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Why does Tiger Woods loathe the Giants?
The championship was at the TPC Harding Park in San Francisco that year. Many club manufacturers made bags with the Giants’ colors, orange and black, to commemorate the major by the Bay. Rory, who didn’t know much about baseball since he was from Northern Ireland, was using one such bag.
Here’s a little clip of the conversation between Tiger and Rory about the Giants, ManU and sports.
“Giants colors…couldn’t do it!” -Tiger#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/CivCYN63C7
— Michael B (@mr_balty) August 6, 2020
Woods told Rory, “Giants’ colors,” and “I couldn’t do it,” explaining that he would never put his clubs in a bag that was marked with the Giants’ colors. Rory didn’t fully understand him and said, “I don’t know much—I don’t know enough about baseball to say yes or no.” So, the G.O.A.T. went on and tried to explain it further to him, putting it in terms he’d understand. After Rory told him that he roots for Manchester United in soccer, Woods said, “So that’d be like Liverpool f–king colors on your bag.”
Only then did Rory get a grasp on why Tiger, being a Dodgers fan, said that. Woods was a die-hard Dodgers fan, and Rory felt the same way about supporting Manchester United. After Woods compared the situation to his favorite soccer team and their biggest rival, Rory understood. “Really? [that’s] No good,” he said.
Woods and McIlroy’s bond: two years later
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
It’s been almost 2 years since the incident, and both Woods and McIlroy are still as competitive and passionate as they were back then. Rory ranks at world number 1 currently, while Tiger, who spent 281 weeks there previously, is now ranked 1232nd.
Woods hasn’t been able to perform at his very best since his accident in 2021. But his passion and resolve burn just as bright as they always have. McIlroy, meanwhile, has been taking the golfing world by storm. He has four majors, has won a championship, and is only 33 years old. He also recently won the CJ Cup, propelling him to the top of the world rankings.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Watch This Story – Tiger Woods Once Portrayed His Intense Competitive Nature Even While Playing Soccer With His Kids
Both are just as zealous, if not more, about golf as they are about their favorite teams in MLB and soccer. Fans do hope we can see them play together. And if so, once again and get an interesting and entertaining conversation.