Wozniacki swerves blame for McIlroy late show

BEIJING (AFP) –

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and Rory McIlroy, pictured in July 2012. Wozniacki beamed with pride Monday at her golfer boyfriend McIlroy’s heroic exploits at the Ryder Cup, and joked that she wasn’t to blame for him almost missing a tee time.

Caroline Wozniacki beamed with pride Monday at her golfer boyfriend Rory McIlroy’s heroic exploits at the Ryder Cup, and joked that she wasn’t to blame for him almost missing a tee time.

The tennis star said McIlroy, the world number one, did particularly well despite his mix-up as the European team came back from 10-6 down going into the final day to defeat the United States 14 1/2 to 13 1/2.

“It was great considering his very late arrival yesterday, almost missing his tee time,” smiled the Dane. “I thought it was very well for him to be able to stay head-cool and go out there and play so well.”

McIlroy came within a few minutes of committing one of the biggest golfing blunders of all time when he mistook which time zone he was in.

The double-major winner from Northern Ireland was quietly getting ready to leave his hotel when he was informed that his tee-off time in his closing singles match against Keegan Bradley was in just 25 minutes.

There followed a high-speed dash in a police car to get to the Medinah Country Club, where he arrived with just a few minutes to spare.

McIlroy quickly pulled on his shoes, grabbed a banana, hit some putts and walked on to a packed first tee to play the third singles match out.

The world number one pushed his first tee shot right into the crowds lining the first fairway but he soon recovered and defeated Bradley 2 and 1.

Wozniacki said the couple keep in touch while they’re playing in big tournaments, but denied that any texting or tweeting might have led to McIlroy’s late arrival.

“I think he mistimed the tee time. He thought he was going to play 12:25, and, well, as we all know it was 11:25. So it wasn’t my fault!” she said.

Wozniacki added: “It’s tough (to keep in touch) with the time changes obviously because when one is awake the other is sleeping or when one is doing something or the other one is playing.

“But, you know, we try to catch up as much as we can.”

Wozniacki, a former world number one, was speaking in Beijing after winning her first round match of the China Open against Chanelle Scheepers, 7-5, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2.