McIlroy Supports Thomas: "He Made A Mistake And He Owned Up To It"

The four-time Major winner says Thomas is "as good a guy as they come" after being asked about his homophobic slur

McIlroy Supports Thomas over homophobic slur
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The four-time Major winner says Thomas is "as good a guy as they come" after being asked about his homophobic slur

McIlroy Supports Thomas: "He Made A Mistake And He Owned Up To It"

Rory McIlroy has come out in support of Justin Thomas after the American was heard using a homophobic slur on the PGA Tour.

Thomas subsequently had his sponsorship with Ralph Lauren discontinued.

The World No.3 immediately apologised for using the slur and is now without a clothing company.

“I think he’s already responded really well,” Thomas' good friend McIlroy said ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

“I think he realised he made a big mistake as soon as it was brought to him in Hawaii and he completely owned up to it," the four-time Major winner continued.

“He said he messed up, he’s going to try to be better, and Justin is true to his word. He will be.

“I’ve got to know Justin really well and he is as good a guy as they come. He has a lot of integrity, a lot of character.

“Obviously, it doesn’t make what he said any better, but I think in this day in age it is hard because it seems you are not allowed to make a mistake any more.

"Any mistake gets jumped on.

“He made a mistake and he owned up to it. And he will be better because of it.

"He will maybe not be as ignorant to things that sort of, I am trying to think of the right word here, offend people, I guess.

“What he said was offensive to a large portion of the population. He will be better for it, he will learn, he will move on.

“He will be just as good a golfer as he has always been and, if anything it will probably make him a better person than he already is, which is hard because he is already a great guy.”

McIlroy and Thomas headline a strong field in Abu Dhabi as the 2021 European Tour season begins.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV