Feherty hits Dublin: “It’s hard for me to commentate on Rory without a massive boner"
GolfNow Ambassador David Feherty flew in to Ireland today to launch the online golf booking company's new 'Golf for Life' campaign which offers golfers an opportunity to win a free fourball for the next 30 years on any of GolfNow's UK and Ireland courses. In the picture with Feherty are GolfNow's Chris Knipe and Dan Higgins. Credit ©INPHO/Donall Farmer
Rory McIlroy was suffering a mild hangover at Carton House yesterday but as reformed wild man David Feherty reported, it only required mild attention and was in no way comparable to the havoc he wreaked on his own body during a short but successful tour career.
The Bangor native and Golf Channel star met up with the new Irish Open champion at the Kildare resort on Monday to film the latest episode of his talk show, “Feherty”.
And when speaking at the launch of GolfNow’s “Golf for Life” campaign, Feherty revealed that while McIlroy was suffering somewhat, he won’t suffer the injuries that look to have ended Tiger Woods’ career and can go on now and win in the “double figures” in majors.
“It’s hard for me to commentate on Rory in the US without a massive boner because I love the kid and want him to do well,” said the 57 year old, who could the 1986 Bell’s Scottish Open among his five European Tour wins but famously lost the trophy.
A recovering alcoholic, Feherty revealed that McIlroy had a few drinks to celebrate his K Club win on Sunday but nothing compared to some of his own or fellow Ulsterman Darren Clarke’s antics.
“Rory got wrecked,” Feherty said. “But not totally wrecked. He needed a couple of Advil this morning. He didn’t do a Clarkey.
“I remember using Clarkey as a piece of furniture after Sam [Torrance’s] Ryder Cup at the Belfry in 2002.
“He was lying like a wounded Cape buffalo on the floor and Jesper Parnevik used one side of him and I used the other as a sofa until he woke up.”
The new face of GolfNow\s advertising campaign in the UK and Ireland, Feherty caught the end of McIlroy’s Irish Open win and those miracle shots to the 16th and 18th.
He said: “I got here in time to see the last few holes, which as all you needed to see. How about those for a couple of shots? Nobody make the game look more beautiful that he does when he plays like that. Just fabulous.”
He’s amazed Irish golfers have won nine majors since 2007 but reckons McIlroy could win more despite the higher level of competition in the modern game.
He said: “The strength in depth is amazing. For Rory to have won four so far is fantastic. We are not going to see another Tiger Woodsin my lifetime or my children’s lifetime.
“But Rory can win double figures, absolutely with the shape he is in and the away he swings the club, not doing himself any damage. He has a beautiful free-flowing swing with lots of straight lines, nothing scrunched up or anything.”
As for Tiger Woods, Feherty reckons the 14-time major winner’s career could be over but he’s too stubborn to admit it.
He said: “I am not sure that Tiger will come back because it is a nerve in his back. It’s not muscular or skeletal. It’’s not something you can deal with in a physical way.
“He is in phenomenal shape - just ripped as usual. But he is not able to make a full pass at it. I saw him a few weeks ago in Houston and he hadn’t played in five months and he hit some good shots and some awful skanky looking things.
“I think he has a feeling that if he doesn’t make it back this time, he might bedone from a physical standpoint.
“But he is too stubborn and too good and too physically gifted to be able to just give it up. He loves it too much.
“There must be something about the game that has a hook because he could buy one of the Bahamas and declare himself a republic.
“I don’t think he needs to do this. He wants to do this. He really really does. But I am not sure that he can. I am not sure he is in any way clear on whether he can either.”
