The Team USA squad heading into the Ryder Cup has sparked major controversy with its promotional T-shirts for the event. The uproar centers on a striking detail: the shirts feature the silhouette of a golfer who appears to be none other than Rory McIlroy, one of Team Europe’s biggest stars and a longtime rival.
As expected, the matter quickly reached the Northern Irishman, who reacted tactfully, albeit with a humorous note.
“It looks more than Adam Scott to me than me,” McIlroy told Sky Sports at the Wentworth Club, where he will play in the BMW PGA Championship starting Thursday.
“It looks a little similar. I don’t know,” he added.
Regarding the possibility of thousands of American fans at Bethpage Black wearing his image on their shirts, McIlroy stated that he has no problem with that.
“That’s OK. That’s fine. I won’t mind that,” he said.
Team USA has not commented on this controversy. However, some voices in the golf world have raised doubts about whether McIlroy is indeed the player silhouetted in the image.
Well-known golf swing analyst Luke Kerr Dineen opined on his X account that it is Scott in the image, and included an analysis of the swing seen in it to support his opinion.
PGA Tour player Michael Kim, meanwhile, said that he believes the silhouette in the image belongs to Chris Kirk, also a player on the American tour. Kim stated that he is certain that it is not McIlroy.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland laughs at his mobile phone during the Pro-Am prior to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club on September 13, 2023 in Virginia Water, England.
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland laughs at his mobile phone during the Pro-Am prior to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club on September 13, 2023 in Virginia Water, England.
Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
However, no one has been able to explain how it is possible that the promotional image of the American team for the Ryder Cup does not include a member of their own team, much less a player from another country or from the opposing team.
The Ryder Cup will be played from Sept. 26-28 at Bethpage Black on Long Island in New York. The event pits American and European teams against each other in a program that includes matches in foursomes, fourball, and singles formats.
The event has been held since 1927 and is considered one of the world’s premier tournaments. It is played every two years at alternating venues in Europe and the United States.
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