McIlroy Bitten By The Olympic Bug: “I Made Some Comments Before That Were Probably Uneducated”

The four-time Major winner loved his Olympic experience and is already thinking about Paris in 2024

Rory McIlroy didn't come home with a medal but appeared to have one of the best weeks of his career in Tokyo at the Olympic Games.

Despite saying that he wasn't patriotic before the Games and sounding unenthusiastic, he revealed after that the Olympic spirit has "definitely bitten me."

He eventually lost out in a playoff for the bronze medal and is already eyeing up a return to the Olympics at Paris 2024 in three years time.

“I never tried so hard in my life to finish third," he said after narrowly missing out on bronze, revealing that he "made some comments before that were probably uneducated and impulsive."

"But coming here experiencing it, seeing, feeling everything that goes on, not just Olympic golf but just the Olympics in general, that sort of Olympic spirit's definitely bitten me and I'm excited how this week's turned out and excited for the future.

"It's not a position I've found myself in very often [trying his all for third position] but I gave it my all out there and it wasn't quite meant to be, but I'm looking forward to having a crack at it again.

"It's not just another golf tournament. It's something much bigger than that.

"I didn't realise that until I got here. I feel like golf has its Olympic Games four times a year, but this has a different feeling, it really does.

"I've really enjoyed teaming up with Shane for Ireland. It's like a throwback to our amateur days.

"I'm really happy with how the week has gone. It would have been great to get a medal, but I'm already excited for what's ahead and my next Olympic experience.

"Before this week, it might have been something that wasn't fully on my radar, but leaving Tokyo, it's something that I really want to do."