Rory McIlroy looks on as Keith Pelley, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) putts on the second green during the RBC Canadian Open Pro-Am at TPC Toronto.
Rory McIlroy looks on as Keith Pelley, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) putts on the second green during the RBC Canadian Open Pro-Am at TPC Toronto.
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On Wednesday, McIlroy played in the tournament pro-am with MLSE top boss Keith Pelley, who gifted the five-time major champ a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey.
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More on that in a minute.
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“I haven’t hidden my sort of aspirations for national Opens and where I would like them to be, what their standing is in the professional game of golf. So this has meant a lot,” McIlroy said. “I first came here in 2019, once the date changed. It used to be that week after the Open Championship, which wasn’t ideal for a lot of players. I honestly love the date change. I love that it’s the week leading into the U.S. Open.
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“Playing in front of the Canadian fans and everything that goes along with that and the enthusiasm, you guys only get to see this sort of golf once a year, so I think once it does come along, it’s really appreciated.
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“Then I think that atmosphere is really appreciated by the players that get to play in front of those fans.”
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Back to the Leafs jersey.