McIlroy continues Twitter war of words

RORY McILROY continued his war of words with golf commentator Jay Townsend yesterday as he defended both his caddie JP Fitzgerald and his actions on Twitter.

Townsend, an American former European Tour golfer, had criticised McIlroy and Fitzgerald’s course management during his Irish Open first-round commentary and then tweeted it had been “shocking” and “some of the worst I have ever seen beyond under-10’s boys golf competition”.

McIlroy’s response was to tweet back: “Shut up ... you’re a commentator and a failed golfer, your opinion means nothing!”

Twenty-four hours later, after McIlroy completed his second round of 68 to move to four under par, five shots off the lead, the 22-year-old US Open champion further explained his decision to air his views in a very public medium.

“Jay’s been, I don’t know if he’s got something in for my caddie, JP,” McIlroy said.

“He’s been going at him for the last three years. And it was just one comment too far.

“I’ve got to stand up for my caddie. JP is one of my closest friends, and I’ve had to deal with it for three years and not say anything. He’s just kept at him and at him, and I just had to say something. It’s unfortunate that some people are so opinionated. JP has taken me from 200th in the world to major champion and now fourth in the world. I don’t know what it is about Jay, if he has something against JP, but some of the criticism JP takes from him is very unfair.

“I wouldn’t take note of anything he says. I don’t have any respect for the man after what he did.”