HAMILTON — Rory McIlroy said this week he felt like an honorary Canadian, given how much the fans showered him with cheers from start to finish.
He cemented that description Sunday night talking about both the Toronto Maple Leafs and how he would be coming back to play the RBC Canadian Open until they tell him he can’t.
“I think history and tradition and legacy are a really big part of the game of golf. This is one of the oldest championships in the world,” McIlroy said Sunday from Hamilton Golf and Country Club. “So many people – Golf Canada, RBC – have gotten behind this RBC Canadian Open and made it really special.
“It’s a pleasure to come up here and play every year and I’m going to keep doing that until they tell me I can’t come over the border.”
McIlroy admitted earlier in the week he had never been to a hockey game, but if any border patrol officers were questioning his Canadian intentions, he did say it would “be amazing” to attend a Toronto Maple Leafs game – if they’re in the playoffs during next year’s Canadian Open.
He had dinner with someone who is “intimately involved” with the team this week and even picked up a few points about the team’s recent moves.
“Sounds like they're making some changes this off-season and hopefully that's the catalyst to hopefully making a run in the playoffs and maybe getting that Stanley Cup,” McIlroy said.
McIlroy shot a final-round 64 on Sunday to finish tied for fourth, just three shots back of Bob MacIntyre’s winning total. He called it a “solid week” after having three good rounds and one (Saturday) where he struggled.
McIlroy has now finished 1-1-T9-T4 in his four Canadian Open appearances. This was his fourth top-10 of the season and kickstarts another busy time in his schedule with two Signature Events and the upcoming U.S. Open.
“Going into a big stretch of golf here and obviously […] you want to come to tournaments and try to win every single one that you play in,” McIlroy said, “But I think to build off, especially the weekend here, going into Memorial next week, and then obviously going into the U.S. Open the week after, we've got a lot of golf coming up, but really nice to see some good signs in my game this weekend."
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