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<\/p>\nRory McIlroy believes golf needs to be careful to prevent spectators affecting tournaments <\/p>\n
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Rory McIlroy has warned that golf could face a \u201cslippery slope\u201d with gamblers increasingly impacting upon play at events.<\/p>\n
Two individuals were ejected from the BMW Championship in lllinois last weekend after shouting at Max Homa while he was stood over a putt.<\/p>\n
The pair\u2019s remarks reportedly related to a wager between friends, with the increasing popularity of sports betting in the United States, where most high profile golf events are held, meaning incidents of that kind are becoming more and more frequent.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hear it every single round,\u201d said Jon Rahm, winner of the Masters earlier this year. \u201cThat happens way more often than you guys may hear. I mean, it\u2019s very, very present.\u201d<\/p>\n
McIlroy, speaking ahead of the Tour Championship in Georgia, confirmed that the topic had been discussed at PGA Tour board level, and cautioned that the sport must be careful given the proximity spectators are afforded to players.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe have talked about this at the board and the PAC [player advisory council] level for a few years,\u201d McIlroy explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a bit of a slippery slope because I don\u2019t think there\u2019s any other sport \u2013 maybe basketball and you can sit courtside, but it\u2019s a different environment \u2013 where people can really affect the play out here.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs long as it\u2019s policed the right way and as long as there\u2019s measures put in place for things like what happened to Max Homa not to happen. We\u2019re all for people out here having a good time and being able to put something on an outcome, as long as they don\u2019t feel like they can come here and influence that outcome. That\u2019s important.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy biggest pet peeve is when you\u2019re reading a putt and someone that\u2019s been sitting there all day is like, \u2018It doesn\u2019t break as much as you think\u2019, or whatever. I just think, \u2018Shut up and don\u2019t be a part of the show, just enjoy watching the golf, right?\u2019 <\/p>\n
\u201cBut I wouldn\u2019t say that\u2019s to do with gambling, per se. If I was here as a fan, I just want to go out and try to watch the best players in the world and have a good time doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Tour Championship begins at East Lake on Thursday with McIlroy bidding to defend his title. <\/p>\n
It is the final event of three in the FedEx Cup playoff series that determine the PGA Tour\u2019s season champion.<\/p>\n
A small field of 30 will begin in Atlanta with each player carrying through starting scores based on their performances in the FedEx Cup rankings this year.<\/p>\n
Scottie Scheffler, the leader, starts on 10 under par with Viktor Hovland on eight under and McIlroy one shot further in arrears.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis tournament is a little bit weird because there\u2019s starting strokes and I wouldn\u2019t say that it is the best format to identify the best golfer for the year,\u201d Scheffler said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cJon Rahm played some of the best golf of anybody this year and he\u2019s coming into this tournament fourth and he\u2019s four shots back. In theory, he could have won 20 times this year and he would only have a two-shot lead.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve joked a decent amount about being (world) No 1 meaning you don\u2019t get any extra strokes and you show up this week and I do get some extra strokes. It\u2019s a bit strange, but it should be a fun week.\u201d<\/p>\n