Rory McIlroy doesn't appear to be lacking confidence, not in a week in which he told the media he "certainly believes" he's the best golfer in the world.
But just in case the defending U.S. Open champion was in need of an ego boost, the San Francisco Giants announced yesterday that it'll give away Rory McIlroy bobbleheads at its Irish Heritage Night on June 12.
From a marketing perspective, the promotion seems like a "home run." Two days after the promotion, the 2012 U.S. Open will be contested at nearby Olympic Club in San Francisco. We gather that's a good way to boost interest for the casual golf fan in the Bay Area.
So what if the bobblehead looks little like the curly-haired 2011 U.S. Open winner? McIlroy doesn't seem to mind.
"The Bobblehead might be a little better looking than me, which is nice," McIlroy quipped when asked about the promotion after his round at the BMW PGA Championship.
We wonder if his star tennis girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki agrees.
Related: McIlroy named Golf World's No. 1 Newsmaker of 2011
Does McIlroy, from Belfast, Northern Ireland where he certainly grew up keeping an eye on soccer and rugby over the MLB, even care for baseball?
He seems to be warm enough to the idea, probably more so for the sake of the U.S. Open. He says he'll have some friends from the San Francisco area there to watch him, too.
McIlroy seemed to be practicing for his date on the mound during the first round of the BMW PGA as he tossed a club in disgust on the 12th hole Thursday.
"Obviously throwing the first pitch at a baseball game [is] something I've never done before," he said. "Just need to start practicing. I don't really want to make a fool of myself."
--Stephen Hennessey
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(Rory McIlroy and Conor Ridge arrive at the White House. Photo: Getty)
