Golfer Rory McIlroy yesterday "didn't hold back" when criticizing the sport's drug testing, going "as far to say he could use human growth hormone and get away with it," according to Steve DiMeglio of USA TODAY. McIlroy in his pre-British Open press conference said that golf "needed to toughen its drug testing procedures to be viewed as a mainstream sport." He said that blood tests "should be administered if golf wanted to 'get in line with the other sports that test more rigorously'" (USA TODAY, 7/13). McIlroy added that the "lack of blood testing isn’t the only problem." He said that golf is "behind the times and doesn’t appear to be as strict in testing as other sports are." McIlroy: “I probably get tested four to five times a year, which is very little compared to the rest of the Olympic sports. I’ve gotten to know a lot of athletes over the years, and whether it be coming to their houses and doing blood and urine, I think drug testing in golf is still quite far behind some of the other sports.” GOLFWEEK's Kevin Casey noted golf "doesn’t appear in any danger of a doping scandal, and McIlroy admitted he doesn’t know of a banned substance that could substantially help a golfer in particular." But for McIlroy, that "doesn’t mean better drug testing in golf should be pushed aside if the sport wants to make sure it's clean" (GOLFWEEK.com, 7/12). GOLF.com's Pete Madden noted players eligible for the Rio Games "were supposed to be subject to more stringent doping controls, including random blood testing," administered by the Int'l Golf Federation starting on May 6 and continuing for the 13 weeks leading up to the Games. But McIlroy said that the IGF "gave him only a single urine test on the Friday of the U.S. Open" before he withdrew his name from consideration (GOLF.com, 7/12).
TEST CASE: Golf Channel's David Duval said of drug testing, "If golf's going to do it, don't kind of go put one foot in; just go all in and do the broad testing that has to be done through blood." Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee said it is "necessary that golf gets in step with every other sport and tests accordingly." The net's Frank Nobilo added of McIlroy's comments on the issue, "Saying things like that will grow the game because if we can get through this sort of period that every other sport suffered and we got through clean, then we really do have a banner that we can wave in our support" ("Live From the Open," Golf Channel, 7/13).
HURTFUL WORDS: McIlroy yesterday said he did not feel a responsibility to grow the game by playing in the Olympics. Chamblee said, "He'll regret those words for the rest of his life. I think it's likely that at the end of his career, he’ll regret that moment more than any other moment in the history of his career" ("Live From the Open," Golf Channel, 7/12). But the Boston Globe's Bob Ryan added, "What am I missing here for people who think they have some obligation to grow the game, and how, by the way, is he supposed to do this?” ESPN's Michael Wilbon replied, "They can't grow the game. They can't grow it from where it was between 1999 and 2008. They can hopefully maintain it. They can sustain it. But you want to see them out there playing" ("PTI," ESPN, 7/12). GOLF DIGEST's Shane Ryan sarcastically wrote McIlroy "doesn't seem to understand that the phrase 'grow the game' has become a cult-like mantra in golf." Ryan: "Never mind that actually growing the game in any significant way is an implausible fantasy in 2016" (GOLFDIGEST.com, 7/12). Golf Channel's Damon Hack: "I know he didn’t get into golf to grow the game, but he is now in a position to grow the game. … He has the eyes of the world on him. I just thought it was gratuitous and unnecessary yesterday to say what he did” (“Morning Drive,” Golf Channel, 7/13).
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: McIlroy also said he would watch the Olympics, but only sports "that matter" like track and field, and swimming. Chamblee indicated that McIlroy is "in effect saying that golf does not matter in the Olympics," which is an "insult to everybody that goes and plays in the Olympics." Chamblee: "It’s an insult to everybody that’s worked tirelessly since 2009 to try to make golf better by its inclusion in the Olympics. ... Rory had a chance to go there along with his peers, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the greatest athletes in the world and say ‘Golf is a sport. Look at me, I’m an athlete,’ and not only did he choose not to do that ... but in effect today, he said, ‘I’m not going, I’m not playing, I’m not watching because it does not matter.’" Golf Channel's Rich Lerner added, "There's a chance that without ever hitting a single shot that he took a step toward killing golf in the Olympic Games with this comment" ("Live From the Open," Golf Channel, 7/12). Golf Channel's Charlie Rymer said he has some "big issues" with McIlroy's comments. Rymer: "If you don’t want to play in the Olympics, that is fine, but don’t throw darts or get your flamethrower out and blow smoke and fire at everyone who is choosing to play. ... Those words were said with purpose and with anger regarding the Olympics." Golf Channel's Geoff Shackelford: "He has his reasons (not to play), but then to pile on like that really turned a lot of people against him" ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 7/13).
TWITTER REAX: Golf Digest's Stina Sternberg: "How anyone working in golf can defend what Rory said is beyond me. He has every right to think it, but what's the point in saying it? What?" Golfweek's Alistair Tait: "I’m a huge Rory fan but he got it wrong yesterday." SI's Alan Shipnuck: "I, of all people, respect the throwing of shade but it's very odd for Rory to publicly disparage his own sport. ... Oly is the biggest athletic event in the world. Golf is a dying boutique sport. Rory is helping golf not matter." ESPN's Jason Sobel: "Of all the things Rory McIlroy said yesterday, 'I could use HGH and get away with it' barely registered on the social media outrage scale." London Daily Mail's Mike Dickson: "Catching up on McIlroy stuff. Not sure if I was a female golfer trying to make Rio a success and help grow the sport I'd be that pleased."
