‘Your opinion means nothing!’

Posted: 1:00 AM CDT Friday, Jul. 29, 2011

KILLARNEY, Ireland -- Rory McIlroy showed his temperamental side after blowing an early lead and double-bogeying the 18th hole Thursday at the Irish Open, telling a TV commentator to "shut up."

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KILLARNEY, Ireland -- Rory McIlroy showed his temperamental side after blowing an early lead and double-bogeying the 18th hole Thursday at the Irish Open, telling a TV commentator to "shut up."

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This article was published 29/07/2011 (5410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

KILLARNEY, Ireland — Rory McIlroy showed his temperamental side after blowing an early lead and double-bogeying the 18th hole Thursday at the Irish Open, telling a TV commentator to “shut up.”

After shooting a 1-under 70 to trail leader Jeev Milkha Singh by seven shots, McIlroy fired off a retort to the Twitter account of American analyst and former pro Jay Townsend.

“Shut up. You’re a commentator and a failed golfer, your opinion means nothing!” wrote McIlroy, the winner of the U.S. Open.

Singh shot a career-best 8-under 63 for a two-shot lead.

On the 18th, McIlroy drove into a bunker, then his attempt to find the green sailed far left into a pond.

Townsend, a former European Tour player providing live coverage for Irish broadcasters RTE, started blasting McIlroy’s approach even before the ball hit the water.

“That’s why you don’t hit it in the bunker. Watch this,” Townsend said, pausing for the splash.

Noting that other commentators had been describing McIlroy’s play as refreshingly loose, Townsend said: “He plays silly, several times already today.”

As he walked to the practice range, McIlroy was told of Townsend’s criticisms both on RTE and on his own Twitter account. Townsend used the social media site to blame McIlroy’s caddy J.P. Fitzgerald for overseeing “some of the worst course management I have ever seen beyond under 10’s boys golf competition.”

McIlroy fired back by Twitter. Townsend replied that he stood by his criticisms, and McIlroy that he stood by his caddie.

Later, McIlroy told reporters said he’d insulted Townsend in defence of his caddy, not himself.

In other golf news, Tiger Woods has announced he will play in next week’s Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, ending an 11-week break to heal injuries to his left leg. The former world No. 1, Woods has plunged to No. 21 in the world rankings.

— The Associated Press