Associated Press
The golf notebook …
Rory McIlroy never felt more nervous before a big crowd.
Trying to hold onto a two-shot lead at the Honda Classic over Tiger Woods as he tried to win and go to No. 1 in the world? No, it was the next night at Madison Square Garden, when he was called onto the tennis court during an exhibition between girlfriend Carolina Wozniacki and Maria Sharapova.
He won his point against Sharapova, although the “rally” began with an underhand serve by the 22-year-old.
“I’ve never been so nervous in my life,” McIlroy said. “I can hit a golf shot in front of a million people, but getting up there … I mean, I wanted to hit a serve, but I was thinking, if I frame this into the crowd, it’s going to look so bad. Maria was nice, she hit it back to me at quite a gentle pace.”
How did he wind up on the court?
Sharapova asked someone from the crowd to dance with her, and Wozniacki asked the crowd if there were any “hot guys” for her.
“I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t want anyone else dancing with you,’ so I put my hand up,” McIlroy said. “Thank God she didn’t ask me to dance. I was much happier hitting a tennis shot.”