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Why Rory McIlroy Is Representing Ireland Instead of the U.K. at the 2024 Paris Olympics
As it turns out, golfer Rory McIlroy's decision to play for Team Ireland is par for the course at the Olympics.
Representation was front and center as athletes took part in the exhilarating Opening Ceremony parade of nations at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
One of the notable stories is that golfer Rory McIlroy will compete for Ireland instead Great Britain in the men’s Olympic golf tournament.
As it turns out, that’s par for the course when it comes to his golfing at the Games.
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How did Rory McIlroy choose to represent Ireland?
McIlroy is from Northern Ireland, and Olympians from there are allowed to pick whether to represent the Ireland or Team Great Britain.
Just as he did for Tokyo 2020, where he narrowly missed medaling, McIlroy opted to play for the Emerald Isle.
The 35-year-old golf ace explained that his decision looked back to his past. McIlroy’s experiences as an amateur player played a key role in his decision to represent Team Ireland at the Games again, according to the Mirror.
"As I said, previously,” he told the Mirror, “once I left trying not to upset anyone aside, then it was actually a pretty easy decision. The decision was I’m going to play golf for the country or the nation that I’ve always played for through my junior and amateur days and now into the professional game. And that’s Ireland.”
McIlroy admitted coming to a decision wasn’t like sinking an easy putt. He thought a lot about it. In fact, he acknowledged, “I made it more difficult for myself than I needed to.”
“Even though the Olympics has given me this choice,” the golfing ace added, “there really wasn’t a choice because all I’ve done throughout my life is play golf for Ireland so why would that change just because the tournament has changed. That was my decision.”
McIlroy recalls being filled with Olympic spirit
While McIlroy gets to choose the nation that he will represent at the Games, he acknowledged that there simply is no option when it comes to being stoked by the Olympic spirit.
That is something that just happens to every Olympian. McIlroy, a member of both the European and PGA tours, recalled putting everything in his power in trying to win a bronze medal in Tokyo.
“I have never tried to finish third so hard in my life. Once you get in that Olympic spirit, something happens inside of you and you get a sense of what it means to so many people,” he said. “Just to say I am an Olympian is great but to win a medal would be incredibly special.”
