Rory McIlroy: Unpaid Olympic Games up there with Ryder Cup while rest of golf is a s---show

Rory McIlroy is usually not very happy after coming in fifth place, but he said that the Olympic tournament was "the most amazing tournament I've ever been a part of, aside from the Ryder Cup."

McIlroy, from Ulster, has the choice to play for Ireland in the Games. He was near the top of the leaderboard when he was on the 15th fairway with a wedge. He had just made five birdies in a row and said he was only focused on winning the gold medal at that moment.

But the player ranked third in the world hit the water in front of the green, leading to a double-bogey. This caused him to fall behind, finishing four strokes behind Scottie Scheffler, who narrowly beat Tommy Fleetwood for first place. In Tokyo, he lost in a play-off for the bronze medal, marking another near miss. Despite this, he remained optimistic about the overall success of the week for his sport.

McIlroy expressed his excitement after shooting a 66, putting his score at 15-under. He mentioned that he and his playing partner, Nico Hojgaard, discussed how incredible the tournament was. Hojgaard, who has experience playing in a Ryder Cup, even stated that this tournament was the best he has ever been a part of.

I believe that the Ryder Cup is the top tournament in golf, with intense competition. But I also believe that this tournament could rival it. Considering the current chaos in the world of golf, these two tournaments stand out as pure forms of competition where money is not the driving force. This highlights the significance of sportsmanship and the importance of the game itself. Every player this week has had a fantastic experience, showcasing the true spirit of the sport.

Certainly, McIlroy has played a significant role in the discussions between the PGA Tour and the independent LIV Golf league as the conflicting groups work towards a resolution to bring the sport together. Amidst this battle within the sports world, the amount of money at stake has significantly increased as they compete to attract top players.

McIlroy thinks that the current situation is not sustainable, and he also thinks that fans are starting to lose interest because of the large amounts of money involved. It seems like some progress has been made in negotiations, but McIlroy is not very optimistic that a solution will be reached soon. He believes that there are too many golf tournaments and not enough time in the schedule, so something has to change.

McIlroy, who is 35 years old, will be in Paris with his wife Erica until Tuesday as they try to attend a few Olympic events. He expressed that this is the first time he has really felt the Olympic spirit at a Games. In Tokyo, they weren't able to interact with other athletes due to Covid restrictions. Being able to attend other events and truly experience the Olympic atmosphere with athletes from all over the world coming together to compete in their respective sports has been an amazing experience for him.

McIlroy is getting ready to compete again. He will start playing in the three-week FedEx Cup play-offs in Memphis in 10 days. After missing the cut at the US Open last month, he has now gone a whole decade without winning another major title to add to his four previous wins. He knows it's time to step up his game.

"I've been feeling like I've been on the verge of success in golf for the past three years," he explained. "But I want that to change and start winning tournaments again. It's easy to keep saying that I'm getting closer and closer. But what I actually need to do is turn these almost wins into real victories."