RORY McILROY HAS said he had to hire private security guards after winning the US Open to deal with the sightseers around his house.
The 22-year-old golfer, who lives in Moneyreagh, Co Down, said the “other side” of his newfound international celebrity has taken “a bit of getting used to”, the Belfast Telegraph reports. Confirming that he will move to Florida to follow the US tour next year, McIlroy said on American breakfast TV that his decision was partly based on the intrusive interest from the public since his eight-stroke victory at Congressional in June.
“It definitely has a little bit to do with my decision to base myself in America next year,” he said according to the Irish Times. “I have had security guards at my house every night since I won the US Open, patrolling around the area. It is something that I just had to put in place, I’m afraid. It’s tough but it is just the world we live in, unfortunately. If you’re in the position we’re in, you’re so public.”
The Irish Independent reports that people have been bringing their cars up the golfer’s driveway near Belfast to look at his home. “There have been people driving up the driveway and stuff like that which isn’t very nice,” McIlroy said. “I can deal with people walking up in restaurants when you’re eating and wanting autographs and photographs and stuff like that. That’s fine, it’s not a big deal. It’s the stuff going on at home that’s hard to accept.”
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