• Open Championship

McIlroy rejects Faldo claims

ESPN staff
July 17, 2013
McIlroy practises at Muirfield © PA Photos
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Rory McIlroy has hit back at Sir Nick Faldo after the six-time major champion claimed the world No. 2 is not practising hard enough.

Faldo told the media on Tuesday that McIlroy, who is dating tennis ace Caroline Wozniacki, was spending too much time on off-course activities and not enough time working on his game.

But McIlroy, without a win since the Dubai World Championship in November, says his poor form is part and parcel of being a sportsman.

  • The Open Championship will tee-off on July 18 and ESPN will have all the news, views and features from Muirfield - along with an in-depth GolfCast from all four rounds.

"The game is like life," McIlroy mused. "You're going to go through highs and you're going to go through lows. It's just about trying to work your way out of the lows.

"I haven't played my best golf this year but I've showed signs that it is there. It's just a matter of trying to do that more often.

"Sooner or later it will turn around and I'll play the golf that everyone knows I'm capable of and the golf I know that's capable of winning major championships.

"[Faldo] said I should be at the course nine to five. I actually was on the range at 6.15 on Tuesday and got out of the gym at 6:15, a 12-hour day compared to his eight-hour day.

"Nick should know how hard this game is at times and he's been in our position before. He should know how much work that we all put into it.

"I played 18 holes last Monday and then 27 on Tuesday. Then I played 18 this Sunday, 18 on Monday, 18 yesterday and I'll play nine today.

"That's a lot of holes."

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