Rory McIlroy is box office, but he isn’t Tiger Woods, says Sky Sports’ Wayne Riley after Wentworth play-off loss

Wayne Riley hailed “box office” Rory McIlroy but added that Tiger Woods was “in a different stratosphere” to the world No 3 after his latest near-miss at Wentworth.

McIlroy missed out on a second BMW PGA Championship title as Billy Horschel prevailed in a thrilling play-off finish, one week on from also being edged out at the Irish Open by Rasmus Hojgaard over the closing stages.

It adds to a season of agonising finishes for McIlroy, which also included him faltering down the stretch in pursuit of a fifth major at the US Open, and Riley believes the expectations placed on McIlroy are too much from fans.

“He finishes eagle, birdie, so that guy down there [who said Rory bottled it] should hang his head in shame,” Riley said.

“If this guy was a bottle job, that is just pure class. He was out of it kind of and he played his way back into it.

“That is what you get from McIlroy, you get box office, you get pure theatre. He is just a great player, everybody loves him.

“At the end of the day, we saw a great player in Tiger Woods and he was in a different stratosphere and they expect Rory to be like that. It isn’t going to happen.

“He has won twice on the PGA Tour [this year] and that is not easy to do. McIlroy is McIlroy so everyone should leave him alone.”

McIlroy: I am playing well and will dust myself off

McIlroy himself was not disappointed in his performance at Wentworth and believes he did well to draw himself back into the contest.

Indeed, he is ready to “dust himself off” and get ready for the final three events of the year.

“I felt like down the stretch I was a bit scrappy. I was missing greens but not by that much and I felt a little bit off, especially with the irons,” McIlroy told Sky Sports.

“I had a good iron shot into 14 and converted that and I felt like I played certainly the last three or four holes very well. I just didn’t convert the putts.

“A bonus on 17 with the eagle that got me right back in it, then I just had awkward yardage on 18.

“With what I am trying to do with my golf swing, I kind of revert back to old habits when I am under the gun like everyone does.

“I think if I keep working on the things I am working on on the range, that only bodes well for the future.

“To work on my swing but still go out there and have a really good chance to win, I am proud of that.

“I am excited for the future. I am playing well, I keep giving myself chances.

“Only two people have beat me in the last two weeks or only one person I guess in terms of scores.

“I am happy with how I am playing. I just have to dust myself off and get myself ready for the last three events of the year.”

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