Andy Murray gave Rory McIlroy some wholesome words of encouragement as the pair met at the BMW PGA Championship.
The recently-retired British tennis icon has been enjoying playing golf, and was at Surrey’s Wentworth Club this week.
McIlroy and Murray linked up this weekX:@DPWorldTour
The DP World Tour’s tournament gets underway this Thursday, with McIlroy looking to bounce back from squandering a two-shot lead Irish Open at the weekend.
The pair were filmed crossing paths on Wednesday, and Murray was seen praising McIlroy for keeping on despite a difficult year on the fairway.
The pair shared a hug, with the Scotsman telling McIlroy how much he’s been playing golf.
“Great job this year,” Murray then said. “It’s been tough.
“But you’ve done super well.”
McIlroy was beaten by Rasmus Hojgaard on Sunday, who birdied for the last five holes to snatch a dramatic one-shot victory.
“Felt like I was in control of the tournament for most of the day,” McIlroy said after his runner-up finish. “Felt like I was playing really solid, doing what I needed to do, making a lot of pars, making the odd birdie.
“Then obviously the two bogeys on 15 and 17 opened the door for someone to have a good finish like what Rasmus did there on the last few holes. Missing the green right on 15 was the place that you can’t go and just misjudged the speed with the first putt on 17.
“Overall, yeah, obviously really disappointed that I didn’t win but I’ll try to take the positives and move on next week to Wentworth.”
McIlroy missed out on a first major since 2014 in similar fashion at the US Open earlier this year.
Murray had words of reassurance for McIlroyX:@DPWorldTour
McIlroy has had a difficult yearGetty
He bogeyed three of the last four holes, with Bryson DeChambeau claiming victory instead.
He also failed to make the cut at The Open.
The four-time major winner filed for divorce on May 13, just days after winning a PGA Tour event and ahead of the US PGA Championship.
He and wife Erica Stroll later went back on their decision, and he recently opened up on their decision.
The world number three also played golf near Spider Man actor, Tom Holland, on Wednesday as he prepared to get back to winning ways.
