‘Probably not the best course in Melbourne’: McIlroy’s blunt rating of Royal Melbourne

It hasn’t taken long for Rory McIlroy to cause a stir at the Australian Open, even before he hits his first tee shot.

The Northern Irish superstar wasn’t overly enthusiastic when asked about the quality of Royal Melbourne.

Rory McIlroy speaking on Wednesday.Credit: Getty Images

“I don’t want the membership to take this badly … it’s probably not the best course in Melbourne,” he said.

The comment, which was less than two minutes into his only press conference before the tournament, caused journalists and tournament officials to stop momentarily and look around the room in shock.

His next sentence repaired some of the damage.

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“That’s my opinion, but it’s certainly in the top 10 in the world. There’s so much great golf in this country, especially in this area.”

McIlroy, who hadn’t been to Royal Melbourne before Monday, had just walked off the course following his pro-am round, and said he was surprised by certain elements of the lay-out.

“I didn’t anticipate how many blind tee shots there was going to be. Yeah, it sort of takes a little bit to figure out. It’s certainly not straight-forward,” he said.

For the record, McIlroy said he believed Kingston Heath is the best golf course in Melbourne.

More to come

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