'People were fist bumping or elbowing and I’m thinking, this is stupid': Rory McIlroy on surreal 2020

Rory McIlroy was taken aback by some of the precautions being taken due to the developing coronavirus pandemic. 'And then five days later the world shuts down'

Rory McIlroy gets a second chance to defend his Players Championship title this week. Picture: John Raoux/AP

In the build-up to last year’s Players Championship, defending champion Rory McIlroy was taken aback by some of the precautions being taken due to the developing coronavirus pandemic.

“At the start of the week you had people sort of fist bumping or elbowing and I’m sort of thinking, what are these people doing, like this is stupid,” McIlroy recalled this week.