Gary Player takes shot at Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki, says golfer needs to ‘find the right wife’
Gary Player takes shot at Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki, says golfer needs to ‘find the right wife, Rory McIlroy diagnosed himself as “brain-dead” at the British Open, but Gary Player has another opinion: The Northern Irishman is lovesick.
Player, following Nick Faldo’s lead, is the latest former player to pin McIlroy’s struggles on girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki.
After telling Britain’s Talksport radio how much he loved McIlroy, Player clumsily played the role of relationship expert.
“When you’re in love as a young man, naturally golf seems to take second place for a while. It’s natural. Love is still the greatest thing that ever happens in our lives. He’ll come back strong,” Player said.
Rory McIlroy takes over for his girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki in her tennis match against Maria Sharapov during the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden.
“But the thing is for a man like Rory, with talent galore, he’s got to make sure he has a woman like I’ve got, who has been married (to me) for 56 years, that has only encouraged me to do well and made sacrifices — massive (sacrifices), living in South Africa and having to be away. He’s got to find the right wife, and beauty is not the answer.
“He’s got to be intelligent and find the right wife. If he finds the right wife, if he practices and if he’s dedicated — a lot of ifs — he could be the man.”
McIlroy, 24, isn’t married but he’s been dating Wozniacki, a tennis star, for the better part of two years. He confirmed the relationship in August 2011, months after winning the U.S. Open, and Wozniacki has been along the ropes at his tournaments — she caddied for him in the 2013 pre-Masters par-three challenge — and he’s watched her play in various tennis tournaments.
Caroline Wozniacki loops for Rory McIlroy during the par three contest prior to the start of the 2013 Masters at Augusta National.
Since winning the U.S. Open in 2011, McIlroy has only won one other major — the PGA in 2012 — and hasn’t fared well in golf’s premiere events. In 2012 he finished 40th at the Masters, missed the cut at the U.S. Open and finished 60th at the British Open before winning the PGA. He hasn’t won a tournament in 2013, including his infamous withdrawl from the Honda Classic, a 25th-place finish at the Masters, 41st at the U.S. Open and a missed cut at the the British.
“I love Rory McIlroy, he’s got such talent that you can’t believe it, and I got quite perturbed when I saw him win the (2011) U.S. Open and then the next tournament that he played was one month later, the Open Championship,” Player said.
“You can’t do that. What he should have done was take a week off after winning the U.S. Open to settle down and then play two tournaments in a row and then come into the Open. You’ve got to prepare properly.
“He has a few problems at this stage of his life but everybody has problems. It’s God’s plan for everybody to live with problems. There is no Utopia everybody has a problem of some kind.
“He’ll sort it out. He’ll come back. He’s got wonderful parents. He’s got great talent. He’ll come back.”
Player, following Nick Faldo’s lead, is the latest former player to pin McIlroy’s struggles on girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki.
After telling Britain’s Talksport radio how much he loved McIlroy, Player clumsily played the role of relationship expert.
“When you’re in love as a young man, naturally golf seems to take second place for a while. It’s natural. Love is still the greatest thing that ever happens in our lives. He’ll come back strong,” Player said.
Rory McIlroy takes over for his girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki in her tennis match against Maria Sharapov during the BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden.
“But the thing is for a man like Rory, with talent galore, he’s got to make sure he has a woman like I’ve got, who has been married (to me) for 56 years, that has only encouraged me to do well and made sacrifices — massive (sacrifices), living in South Africa and having to be away. He’s got to find the right wife, and beauty is not the answer.
“He’s got to be intelligent and find the right wife. If he finds the right wife, if he practices and if he’s dedicated — a lot of ifs — he could be the man.”
McIlroy, 24, isn’t married but he’s been dating Wozniacki, a tennis star, for the better part of two years. He confirmed the relationship in August 2011, months after winning the U.S. Open, and Wozniacki has been along the ropes at his tournaments — she caddied for him in the 2013 pre-Masters par-three challenge — and he’s watched her play in various tennis tournaments.
Caroline Wozniacki loops for Rory McIlroy during the par three contest prior to the start of the 2013 Masters at Augusta National.
Since winning the U.S. Open in 2011, McIlroy has only won one other major — the PGA in 2012 — and hasn’t fared well in golf’s premiere events. In 2012 he finished 40th at the Masters, missed the cut at the U.S. Open and finished 60th at the British Open before winning the PGA. He hasn’t won a tournament in 2013, including his infamous withdrawl from the Honda Classic, a 25th-place finish at the Masters, 41st at the U.S. Open and a missed cut at the the British.
“I love Rory McIlroy, he’s got such talent that you can’t believe it, and I got quite perturbed when I saw him win the (2011) U.S. Open and then the next tournament that he played was one month later, the Open Championship,” Player said.
“You can’t do that. What he should have done was take a week off after winning the U.S. Open to settle down and then play two tournaments in a row and then come into the Open. You’ve got to prepare properly.
“He has a few problems at this stage of his life but everybody has problems. It’s God’s plan for everybody to live with problems. There is no Utopia everybody has a problem of some kind.
“He’ll sort it out. He’ll come back. He’s got wonderful parents. He’s got great talent. He’ll come back.”
