Woods apologised to US Ryder rookies
However the duo will be playing with more than just model airplanes this week as they tee up today with the chance of scooping the $1.5m (€1.15m) prize in the inaugural Turkish Airlines World Golf Final at the Antalya Golf Club.
McIlroy and Woods join six others in a medal matchplay format that will see the Ireland and US rivals facing each other tomorrow.
It’s Tiger’s first visit to mainland Europe since 2003 and he arrived yesterday to see billboards scattered all about the region promoting the eight man event simply stating: “Tiger v Rory”.
“I don’t face Rory until Wednesday but it’s just nice to be here as this is my first time in Turkey,” he said.
“I am trying to play all around the world. I am playing in Malaysia in a few weeks time and that will be nice as I have not played there since Mark O’Meara and I won the World Cup in 1999.”
Woods also confirmed he apologised to the rookies on the USA Ryder Cup team (Brandt Snedeker, Jason Dufner, Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley) for his indifferent showing in last month’s Ryder Cup. He badly disappointed in managing to secure a half-a-point in his seventh Ryder Cup appearance, and that was after conceding the final putt of the competition to Italy’s Francesco Molinari.
“Yes, I had the opportunity to earn three points in the team sessions and I didn’t do that,” said Woods. “My point there at the end didn’t matter as it was all said and done. But it didn’t set in for me for a few days as to what happened in Medinah.
“I texted Freddie (Couples) and Steve (Stricker) quite a bit, and like anything it is a tournament lost and you have to move on and focus on the next event.
“We lose far more than we win in this sport and you learn to move on and the next event is this week here in Turkey, and I’ve got a good match-up with Charl (Schwartzel).”
Unlike Woods, McIlroy has been to Turkey before, supporting tennis girlfriend, Caroline Wozinacki, for the season-ending WTF finals.
However on this occasion Wozinacki is present to support McIlroy and the Irishman is determined to continue his recent run of success with victory along the Mediterranean shoreline.
“It’s going to be a very exciting week with eight of the best players in the world and the people of Turkey are going to see an event they’ve never seen before,” he said.
“I am still trying to come down from the high of the Ryder Cup but it’s just nice to be here.
“I haven’t touched a club since the Ryder Cup and I’ve just been chilling out with Caroline so I will get to the golf course early tomorrow morning and see if it’s still there.”
And while Turkish Airlines are the latest sponsors to tap into the McIlroy versus Woods promotion, the world No. 1 sought to distance himself from any rivalry with Woods.
“I’m looking forward to tackling Tiger, as everyone knows he’s been a hero of my growing up,” said McIlroy.
“To get to play alongside him these days and to compete against him is a dream come true. This will be the first match where we have played against each other head-to-head compared to individual strokeplay so it should be fun, and it’s a match I would really like to win.
“But while I would rather be a part of this than not, I’m in a great position being compared to Tiger. However people who watch sports want to see some form of rivalry between myself and Tiger, but I don’t see it as that’s what Tiger and I have.
“It’s just great to see events like this and I am just pleased to be mentioned in the same conversation with Tiger.”
In today’s opening matches McIlroy will play Matt Kuchar, Woods meets Charl Schwartzel, Hunter Mahan takes on Justin Rose and Lee Westwood tackles Webb Simpson.
McIlroy will then play Schwartzel tomorrow morning and then face Woods in the afternoon.
McIlroy, Woods. Schwartzel and Kuchar are in group one and the leading two players go through to Thursday’s semi-final, to play the top two players from Group B that include Westwood, Mahan, Rose and Simpson.
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