Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have shared a close bond in recent years. Belonging to different generations, the pair has elevated the game of golf and continues to do so while remaining friends off the course. But by his own admission, McIlroy thought that his growing stature was forcing Tiger Woods to “bring out the best in him”.

What did McIlroy say about Woods?

When McIlroy first made his entry on the PGA Tour, he was already a star back in his home continent. The bushy-haired kid from Northern Ireland made an instant impact, securing 4 Major Championships before turning 25.

How a 9-Year-Old Rory McIlroy Sent a Letter of Warning to Peak Tiger Woods

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While Woods has never been in close touch with any of his previous counterparts, he was quick to lend a hand to the young McIlroy. The two were seen frequently along the golf course and also appeared together on a variety of shows.

“I like to think that I bring the best out the best in him,” McIlroy once said to CNN in a special interaction. “No that’s the side of Tiger that I know, we live close to each other in Florida and we are like that all the time.”

Tiger Woods also spoke on how his relationship with McIlroy changed over the course of time. “Well, first rivals I think initially, but we got to know each other in the last few years, and are pretty good friends.”

Did McIlroy look up to Tiger Woods in his early days?

In his formative days, like most of the other budding golfers, Rory McIlroy idolized Tiger Woods. Like his hero, Rory was a superstar in the game from the very onset, appearing on various TV shows and showing his golf skills.

Before making his debut, he had broken one of the course records in Northern Ireland as a 15-year-old. The boy with a beautiful swing and elegance was also a confident lad – he once wrote a letter to Tiger Woods as a nine-year-old stating that his time had come to dominate golf.

The two have been good friends since McIlroy joined Woods in roping Nike as his sponsor in 2012. They apparently live close by on Jupiter Island in Florida. Recently, McIlroy won his third FedEx Cup in the season-ending tournament last week, eclipsing Tiger’s record of two.

What are your thoughts on Rory McIlroy’s take on Tiger Woods? Let us know in the comments down below.