Rory McIlroy reacts after lacking a putt on the fifteenth inexperienced as Omar Uresti appears to be like on through the first spherical of the Canadian Open in Toronto on Thursday, June 8, 2023.| Photo Credit: AP

It was enterprise as ordinary for Rory McIlroy on Thursday -- a scorecard affected by birdies and bogeys and a post-round press convention centered on issues apart from his golf sport.

McIlroy posted a 1-under-par 71 within the opening spherical on the RBC Canadian Open, the place he's the two-time defending champion. His card included 5 birdies to offset 4 bogeys, leaving the world No. 3-ranked participant 4 pictures off the morning lead.

Following a gap query in regards to the course situations in his post-round press convention, it was proper again to the most important matter on the planet of golf -- the merger heard ‘round the world.

After 48 hours of drama following the news of the PGA Tour’s merger with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the DP World Tour, was it good to get again on the course, the place good pal and taking part in companion Justin Rose posted a 3-under 69?

“Rosie and I said, ‘All right, no chatting until lunch so that we can actually concentrate on what we’re doing out there,’” McIlroy mentioned. “We started to get in a conversation walking down the first (hole) and we’re like, ‘No, let’s stop this. Let’s just focus on our golf and we’ll say what we want to say when we get inside.’

“So, it was nice to play a round of golf and focus on something else for those five hours we were out there.”

That was adopted by a query in regards to the air high quality - McIlroy wasn’t bothered by it a lot - and proper again to the merger questions, which took up the rest of his press session.

McIlroy has spent the previous yr because the de facto voice of the PGA Tour and gamers whereas partaking in common public spats with the likes of LIV Golf defectors Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed. So, it’s no shock that everybody desires the opinion of McIlroy, who mentioned Wednesday that he was by no means provided cash by LIV Golf and nonetheless hopes that the Saudi-backed league goes away.

He acknowledged that the off-course stress has weighed on him way more closely than what goes on contained in the ropes.

“You know, the most uncomfortable I’ve felt in the last 12 months was my press conference yesterday,” McIlroy mentioned.

After 48 hours of cellphone calls, press conferences and conferences, McIlroy was again to his “job.” The alarm went off at 4:15 am, he performed a spherical of golf after which deliberate to apply a bit within the afternoon earlier than planning for a great evening of sleep.

The PGA Tour agreed to a merger that can change the complexion {of professional} golf all over the world with out consulting the participant who has been on the forefront of those that “stayed loyal” to the tour. McIlroy was requested if it’s time to maybe focus extra on himself.

“This is business and my job is playing golf at the end of the day,” he mentioned. “The more that I can focus on that and focus on the birdies and the bogeys instead of the stuff that’s happened in the board room, I’ll be much happier.”