Rory McIlroy suspects a certain caddie’s birthday festivities may have contributed to his sluggish start at the RBC Canadian Open.
Reflecting on Thursday’s opening round to Golfweek, McIlroy — who shot a 4-under 66 after posting an even-par 35 on the first nine holes at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Ontario — suggested an early tee time following a celebratory dinner for pal and caddie Harry Diamond the night before did not make for a winning combination.
“A bit of a slow start,” said McIlroy, who teed off at 7:40 a.m. Thursday. “Harry’s birthday dinner last night so had a couple of glasses of wine. I was probably feeling a little groggy when I woke up.”
McIlroy, 35, rallied on the back nine with four birdies.
He’ll tee off Friday at 12:55 p.m. as he seeks his third RBC Canadian Open victory.
It’s been a chaotic few weeks for McIlroy, whose divorce from wife Erica Stoll was revealed earlier this month, with the Belfast Telegraph reporting the docs were served to Stoll via a private investigator.
McIlroy and Stoll wed in 2017 and share a daughter, 3-year-old Poppy, with whom they’re seeking split custody.
McIlroy competed at the PGA Championship the same week his divorce was revealed, finishing 12-under par and tying for 12th.
Before the tournament began, officials asked the media to refrain from asking McIlrory questions about the shocking split.
“I believe you all saw the statement yesterday from Rory’s communication team specifically that he will not be making any additional comments on his private life, so thank you all for respecting his wishes,” the moderator said at the start of McIlroy’s media session on May 15.
The golfer’s camp issued a statement the previous day noting McIlroy “will not be making any further comment” on the matter, and “stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible.”
McIlroy was not in the field for last weekend’s Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, instead spending time with family and friends.
“I went to one of my best friend’s wedding in Italy for four days, which was a lot of fun, good to see a lot of people from home I haven’t seen in a long time,” McIlroy said Wednesday, per Golf Week. “Yeah, it was actually a really good trip, I needed it. Then I had a lovely, I had a great weekend at home. Spent time with my family and with Poppy and, yeah, it was awesome. So I needed that reset. I’m playing four weeks in a row here, so, yeah, I’m ready to go, but, yeah, it’s been a busy stretch and I’m sort of easing my way back into it. I probably hit a grand total of probably 150 balls last week.”
