Rory McIlroy has revealed he is unable to wear a hat in team events such as the Olympics and the Ryder Cup because his head is ‘so small’. The four-time major winner kicked off his Olympic campaign yesterday with an opening round two-under-par, 69 at Kasumigaseki Country Club but was notably missing a cap from his Team Ireland outfit.
As a result, the Irish athlete revealed his head is too small for his team cap, saying: “My head is so small that I have to get Nike to make me custom hats, so whenever I’m in a team event and the hats aren’t custom, they’re all too big.”
The 19-time PGA Tour winner who is notoriously sponsored by Nike stated the sports brand makes a custom hat for his regular Tour events due to the small size of his head but when he heads to a team event – like the Olympics – he is forced to play ‘hatless’ due their regular fit.
McIlroy also addressed his capless situation in 2016 via a Q and A on his Twitter account after a fan asked about why the 32-year-old played without any headwear at the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
The 2014 Open Champion replied via his official account saying: “I’ve a pea head and the hats were way too big for me!”
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Playing without a cap did not seem to hamper the 32-year-old in his second round at the Olympics, as he followed up his Day one 69 with a five-under-par, 66 to move him into seven-under for the tournament, and right into contention at the turn of the weekend.
After five straight opening pars the Irishman put together a run of birdie, birdie, eagle to leave him four-under through nine holes. McIlroy then dropped his first shot of the day at the 11th, before a bounce-back birdie on 12 reinstated his four-under score.
The world number 13 was then dealt a two-hour break along with the rest of the field, as adverse weather conditions in Tokyo caused a suspension in play for the second day running at the event.
However, the two-time PGA Championship winner picked up where he left off, adding two further birdies after the restart before a bogey on 18 left him at seven-under par for the tournament at halfway point.
Friday as a whole proved a hugely successful one for Team Ireland on the golf course, as McIlroy’s Irish teammate Shane Lowry followed up the 32-year-old’s impressive second round.
The Irishman went one better than his Olympic team-mate, as seven day two birdies helped the former Open champion card a 65, six-under-par to leave him tied with McIlroy for the tournament on seven-under.
