“He's getting a little older” – Rory McIlroy admits to banking on Tiger Woods to miss putts at TGL

Tiger Woods’s Jupiter Links Golf Club beat Rory McIlroy's Boston Common Golf squad at TGL’s latest match on Sunday in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The duo, who shares ownership of the league, competed against each other to make the inaugural TGL season’s closest match yet. Woods’ side won the contest 4-3 as his teammates Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner stepped up.

Following the competition, McIlroy revealed that he was banking on his long-term friend and business partner Woods’ age to play a role. The Northern Irishman, while speaking to reporters confessed that he was expecting the 49-year-old to miss some putts as he “struggles in this light.” He also added that the 15-times major champion, who is “getting a little older,” did “miss a few early on.”

However, the World No.3 golfer admitted that Woods “stepped up and delivered like he usually does” while marching on to victory.

Replying to a media query on whether he was “banking on Tiger Woods missing a seven-foot putt,” Rory McIlroy said, as quoted by ASAP Sports:

“He (Tiger Woods) had missed a few early on. He's getting a little older. His eyes might have been going. He struggles in this light. I thought it was a good opportunity if he missed to get two points when I think we had went one behind at that point…

He just knocked it in the left side. It wasn't like it was a dead center putt. But no, he stepped up and delivered like he usually does.”

McIlroy concluded his comments by dubbing it a “great match” and stated that the “back and forth” was what the TGL needed.

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Rory McIlroy says TGL ‘wouldn’t exist’ if Tiger Woods ‘wasn't around for 20 years’

McIlroy dubbed his Boston side’s contest against Tiger Woods ‘amazing.’ He lauded his rival and stated that no one can underestimate the former World No.1 golfer’s impact on him and other professional golfers. Interestingly, he credited Woods for TGL and stated that the innovative league ‘wouldn’t exist’ if Tiger Woods ‘wasn't around for 20 years.’

Rory McIlroy said after his match against Woods, as quoted by ASAP Sports:

“It's amazing. I don't think anyone can underestimate the impact that he's had on our game and the impact that he's had on all of us as professional golfers. Would TGL exist if Tiger wasn't around for 20 years? Probably not… It's amazing to go up and to compete against one of your heroes.”

The Northern Irishman went on to state that Woods still plays with ‘as much intensity’ as he’s had in the past years. The four-time major champion added that his business partner plays like he did when ‘trying to win a major championship or trying to finish off a golf tournament.’