Sky's Riley hits back as Wentworth heckler shouts 'McIlroy is a bottle job' at BMW PGA
Sky Sports Golf's Wayne Riley hits back as a Wentworth spectator yells out 'Rory McIlroy is a bottle job' following his latest near-miss at the BMW PGA Championship.
Sky Sports Golf on-course commentator Wayne 'Radar' Riley has leapt to the defence of Rory McIlroy after a spectator at Wentworth was heard shouting 'McIlroy is a bottle job' following another tough loss on the DP World Tour.
McIlroy, 35, just needed to birdie the par-5 18th in regulation play to seal a second career title at the famous BMW PGA.
That was after he drained a monster eagle putt on the par-5 17th to tie things up with Thriston Lawrence.
But the World No.3 nearly found the water with his second shot into the 18th and he walked away with a par.
It led to a three-man playoff with Lawrence, who parred the final two holes, and Billy Horschel, who birdied the final two holes playing alongside McIlroy.
Lawrence then ejected himself from the playoff when making a complete hash of the first extra hole - the par-5 18th - and birdies for Horschel and McIlroy sent them back down the 18th.
Related: 'I'm going to cry somewhere' - Lawrence's girlfriend reacts to BMW PGA heartbreak
McIlroy and Horschel then both split the fairway and hit superb second shots into the heart of the green to set up eagle chances.
The Northern Irishman would narrowly miss his putt, leaving the stage clear for the American.
Horschel stepped in and drained his putt into the heart of the cup to etch his name on the BMW PGA trophy for a second time in four years.
The runner-up finish marked the second in a row for McIlroy, who was already still coming to terms with having fallen short to Rasmus Hojgaard at the Irish Open in front of his adoring home fans at Royal County Down seven days previous.
He was labelled on social media that Sunday as 'the most infuriating golfer of all time'.
McIlroy's toughest loss this season came three months ago when missing two short putts on the closing holes to hand LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau a second US Open title.
It was a defeat that saw him take a short break away from the game.
Just moments after Horschel defeated McIlroy, Sky Sports Golf duo Nick Dougherty and on-course commentator Riley caught wind of a spectator storming out of Wentworth shouting out 'McIlroy is a bottle job'.
Although Riley did not quite get his facts straight in his response to viewers*, the Australian did leap to the defence of McIlroy.
But he did also claim McIlroy is nowhere near where Tiger Woods was in his prime.
Riley said of McIlroy:
"He finishes eagle, birdie, so that guy down there [who said McIlroy bottled it] should hang his head in shame.
*McIlroy did not; he finished eagle, par
"If this guy was a bottle job, that is just pure class. He was out of it kind of and he played his way back into it.
"That is what you get from McIlroy, you get box office, you get pure theatre. He is just a great player, everybody loves him.
"At the end of the day, we saw a great player in Tiger Woods and he was in a different stratosphere and they expect Rory to be like that. It isn't going to happen.
"He has won twice on the PGA Tour [this year] and that is not easy to do. McIlroy is McIlroy so everyone should leave him alone."
Related: Rory McIlroy consoled by daughter Poppy and wife Erica after latest Sunday disappointment
Related: Billy Horschel makes eyebrow-raising claim after BMW PGA win
McIlroy was consoled by his wife Erica and daughter Poppy as he trudged off the back of the 18th and into the car park.
As for McIlroy himself, he is looking to take the positives into the final three events of the DP World Tour season.
McIlroy will next be in action at the Dunhill Links alongside his father Gerry next week, before heading over to compete in the DP World Tour Playoffs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in November.
Related: Rory McIlroy schedule
Scroll below for McIlroy's latest comments...
Of his latest near-miss, McIlroy said:
"I felt like down the stretch I was a bit scrappy. I was missing greens but not by that much and I felt a little bit off, especially with the irons.
"I had a good iron shot into 14 and converted that and I felt like I played certainly the last three or four holes very well. I just didn't convert the putts.
"A bonus on 17 with the eagle that got me right back in it, then I just had awkward yardage on 18.
"With what I am trying to do with my golf swing, I kind of revert back to old habits when I am under the gun like everyone does.
"I think if I keep working on the things I am working on on the range, that only bodes well for the future.
"To work on my swing but still go out there and have a really good chance to win, I am proud of that.
"I am excited for the future. I am playing well, I keep giving myself chances.
"Only two people have beat me in the last two weeks or only one person I guess in terms of scores.
"I am happy with how I am playing. I just have to dust myself off and get myself ready for the last three events of the year."
McIlroy leads Lawrence by some 1,500 points in the DP World Tour Rankings as he closes in on emulating Seve Ballesteros' haul of six Harry Vardon trophies in the Race to Dubai.
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