Good sport McIlroy good for sports | 2022 Masters
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Posted February 14, 2012, 12:00 am
BY
Scott Michaux
|
Sports Columnist

Good sport McIlroy good for sports

Never before has a No. 1 golfer in the world brought this much boyish charisma to the stage.
 
Rory McIlroy hadn't been No. 1 for a day before he showed a sense of humor and derring do by letting his girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki pull him out of the stands and play a point against Maria Sharapova in a televised tennis match in Madison Square Garden on Monday night.
 
McIlroy accepted Wozniacki's racquet and tennis balls and stepped to the service line. He playfully placed the ball on the court and pretended to set up for a golf-swing serve. Then he under-handed the ball over the net to Sharapova to spark a volley with the Russian major winner. McIlroy hit a couple of nice backhands before a deep forehand lob prompted Sharapova to hit the ball out of bounds.
 
Golf's new No. 1 from Northern Ireland raised his hands in triumph, high-fived Wozniacki, relinquished the racquet and even signed a tennis ball for a young fan as he returned to his seat.
 
What is most impressive in all of this is that Rory was willing to do it. Being a good sport isn't the easiest thing to do in this world, and McIlroy looks natural doing it. Can you image Tiger Woods ever doing such and impromptu thing in front of everyone? No way.
 
Golf has had some big-time personalities ascend to No. 1 such as Greg Norman and Woods, but McIlroy is a different kind of breed. McIlroy is great for golf in that he's got such a great personality that isn't all ego. Moments like this elevate both him and the game.
 

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