“I’m not a Call of Duty player, I play FIFA” - When Rory McIlroy opened up about the gamer in him

Rory McIlroy was a 21-year-old once and he loved gaming. The Northern Irishman once opened up about his gaming habits back in 2010. In the vintage interview, the young golfer revealed that he was a huge gamer who played FIFA and Tiger Woods the game.

The Irishman was speaking ahead of the Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 11 launch when he admitted his love for games. Despite making it to the cover of the PGA Tour game and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Tiger Woods himself, McIlroy said that he was looking forward to playing the game.

Rory McIlroy opened up about his love for online games in an interview with EA Sports in 2010. Responding to a query on whether he was a gamer, the golfer said:

“I still am, yes. I don’t play as much as I would like, but when I get home now, I can play then. I’m big on all the sports games – I’m not a Call of Duty player. I play FIFA all the time, and obviously the Tiger Woods game; Madden, NBA and those games.”

Furthermore, McIlroy went on to state that playing video games was a lot easier compared to real life. However, he said that playing on Wii was the next best thing tobeg on the golf course.

He added:

“It’s a lot easier in the game, sometimes. Obviously, if you’re playing the game, it’s easier to control the swing, but you still have to put the ball in the right positions, and to read the putts. In that respect, there are a lot of similarities. I suppose if you’re playing on the Wii, you’re swinging the controller, so it is a bit more similar. I suppose on a rainy day when you can’t get onto the golf course, playing it on the Wii is the next best thing.”

The then-21-year-old went on to state that video games played a big role in popularizing sports like golf. McIlroy said that the Tiger Woods PGA Tour did broaden the sport’s appeal across youngsters.

Speaking about the impact of video games, he said:

“It’s huge. I think that ever since it came on the scene, in 1997 or whenever, the game has got a lot bigger, and with the advance in technology, it has really revolutionised the sport.”

Rory McIlroy enjoys being immortalised by a videogame

Rory McIlroy went on to state that he liked playing as himself in the game. Replying to whether he felt nice being immortalized, the Irishman said:

“Absolutely. I’ve been in the game for a couple of years, but to be actually on the cover, and doing the motion-capture, really makes you feel a part of it. It’s cool to see yourself on the TV, and to be able to play as yourself.”

The interview was big at the time considering the fact that it was the first time someone other than Tiger Woods had made it to the cover of a Tiger Woods PGA TOUR game. The European poster boy had become a household name by then.

It’s pertinent to note that the interview is from a decade ago. Fans can only wonder if the present-day 33-year-old Rory McIlroy enjoys video games just as much as he used to.