Page 18 - Aruba Today

A18
SPORTSThursday 18 February 2016
Rory McIlroy begins his road to the Masters
DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The
road to the Masters starts
on the other side of the
country for Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy has heard enough
of Riviera that he decided
to play the Northern Trust
Open for the first time, and
27 holes over the last two
days have left him con-
vinced that it was a smart
move and that it was worth
it to add one more event
to a busy schedule.
He is playing five of the
next six weeks, and every
field will be among the
strongest in golf for this time “I think the guys that are
of the year.
“I think the Masters at this
point of the year is on pret-
ty much everyone’s mind,”
McIlroy said Wednesday.
“You’re building up to it.
You’ve got some great
events between now and
then, but obviously I’d love
my game to be in peak
shape for Augusta in April.”
McIlroy has played twice
this year, a tie for third in
Abu Dhabi and a tie for
sixth in Dubai, and typically
waits until the Florida swing
to get into gear.
Instead, he tees it up Thurs-
day off Sunset Boulevard
with a field that has five of
the top eight in the world,
starting with Jordan Spieth
at No. 1. The Honda Clas-
Nike
Pacquiao
Continued on Next Page
Animals, he said, were bet-
ter because they recog-
nize gender differences,
and “if you have male-to-
male or female-to-female
(relationships), then people
are worse than animals.”
Pacquiao’s remarks were
criticized by several Fili-
pino celebrities, and he
responded by issuing an
apology of sorts. In it,
Pacquiao said he was still
against same sex marriage
but loved all people.
Arum told The Associated
Press that Pacquiao is an
evangelical Christian who
believes that homosexual-
ity is wrong, and that he
was trying to win votes in
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland tees off on the 15th hole during going after a third straight
2nd round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament major and a chance to
in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Feb. 5, 2016. complete the career
Grand Slam.
Associated Press Now he’s one of three bat-
tling for No. 1 in the world.
sic next week in Florida is in and week out against McIlroy slipped back to No.
expected to have a strong some of the best fields in 3 this week behind Day.
field, and then Doral will the world. You want to When he won the Match
bring together the top challenge yourself, and Play last year, he told about
three — Spieth, Jason Day you want to test yourself a ritual of going to the Of-
and McIlroy — for the first against the best that’s out ficial World Golf Ranking
time since September. here. website to see the size of
McIlroy also is scheduled “I think we’ll see that hap- his lead at No. 1. Now, he
to play at Bay Hill and then pen here, and then obvi- doesn’t look at the rank-
the Match Play for the top ously as we move into Flor- ing as much. He knows he’s
64 in the world. ida.” not No. 1.
“It’s going to be a great Even so, Augusta is on his “I will check them. I saw
stretch of golf,” he said. mind. that Jason overtook me
McIlroy had all the atten- last week,” he said. “Need
up at the top of the world tion on him last year during a cup of coffee to perk me
rankings now, we like to the weeks leading to the up after it.”
play quite a bit. ... It’s great Masters as the undisputed Given the strength of fields
to be able to play week No. 1 player in the world over the coming weeks,
McIlroy has a chance to
change that.
“It’s still a big deal,” McIlroy he was ready to join the fan
said. “Look, even if you’re
a player or a fan, anyone
wants to know who the
best golf is in the world. It’s
important to me. I’m not
really competitive in much
other things, but this I’m
very competitive and want
to try and get back there
as fast I can.”
So is Spieth, who has his
own love affair with Riviera.
Spieth said he was torn be-
tween going to college at
Texas or USC when he was
in high school (he eventual-
In this Oct. 12, 2015, file photo, Manny Pacquiao takes ques- the Philippines, where the
tions at the Asia Society in New York. issue of same sex marriage
has not been decided.
Associated Press “What he said is complete-
ly for home consumption
for Filipinos wrestling with
the question of legalizing
same sex marriage,” Arum
said.
In addition to his campaign
for the Senate, Pacquiao
is currently training for the
April 9 fight in Las Vegas
against Bradley in what he
says will be his last bout.
Arum said he could lose
some other fight sponsors
because of the remarks.
Pacquiao has not fought
since losing to Floyd May-
weather Jr. last May in the
richest fight ever. Pacquiao
reportedly made more
than $100 million for the
fight, and is guaranteed
$20 million to fight Bradley.
Arum said he expects
ly chose Texas), and one of
the perks of the Trojans was
having a playing member-
ship at Riviera while he was
in college.
He played on an exemp-
tion as an amateur in 2012
and missed the cut when
he missed a 10-foot par
putt on the 18th hole. He
was three shots behind go-
ing into the final round in
2014 until closing with a 71.
And a year ago, he made
bogey trying to make bird-
ie, and it wound up keep-
ing him out of a playoff.
Throw in the NCAA title
that Texas won at Riviera in
2012, and Spieth figures he
has played Riviera as much
as any PGA Tour course
outside the state of Texas.
“It’s one of my favorites in
the entire world,” he said.
McIlroy sounded as though
club. James Hahn won last
year in a playoff after he,
Dustin Johnson and Paul
Casey finished at 6-under
278. Only the U.S. Open last
year (5 under) had a higher
winning score to par.
“It’s a real treat when you
come to a golf course like
this where it’s not overly
long, you don’t have to re-
ally bomb it off the tee, but
it’s real strategic,” McIlroy
said. “You’ve got to place
your ball on the right sides
of the fairways. q
some people not to buy
the fight on pay-per-view
because of the comments,
but that others might buy it
because of them.
“Instead of promoting a
fight with a fighter I’m pro-
moting a fight with a politi-
cian,” Arum said.
“It’s like of Donald Trump
was a boxer and I was
promoting Donald Trump
when he was running for
president. I would be killed
by the media for all the stu-
pid statements he is mak-
ing.”
It’s not the first time Pac-
quiao has been involved
in a furor over gay rights. In
2012 he was quoted as say-
ing he was against same
sex marriage because “It’s
the law of God” though he
denied inferring that ho-
mosexuals should be put to
death.q