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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rory McIlroy explains decision to duck media at PGA, saying he didn't want to discuss driver issue
Rory McIlroy looks on during the pro-am at the Canadian Open Golf golf tournament, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Caledon, Ontario. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press via AP) Rory McIlroy approaches the green during the pro-am at the Canadian Open Golf golf tournament, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Caledon, Ontario. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press via AP) Rory McIlroy watches his ball after a swing during the pro-am at the Canadian Open Golf golf tournament, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Caledon, Ontario. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press via AP) Rory McIlroy signs autographs for young fans during the pro-am at the Canadian Open Golf golf tournament, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Caledon, Ontario. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press via AP) Rory McIlroy signs autographs for young fans during the pro-am at the Canadian Open Golf golf tournament, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Caledon, Ontario. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press via AP) Rory McIlroy looks on during the pro-am at the Canadian Open Golf golf tournament, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Caledon, Ontario. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press via AP) Rory McIlroy approaches the green during the pro-am at the Canadian Open Golf golf tournament, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Caledon, Ontario. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press via AP) Rory McIlroy watches his ball after a swing during the pro-am at the Canadian Open Golf golf tournament, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Caledon, Ontario. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press via AP) Rory McIlroy signs autographs for young fans during the pro-am at the Canadian Open Golf golf tournament, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Caledon, Ontario. (Peter Power/The Canadian Press via AP) CALEDON, Ontario (AP) — Rory McIlroy explained his decision not to speak to the media during last month's PGA Championship, saying Wednesday he was annoyed that news had leaked about his driver failing to pass inspection before the tournament. McIlroy said the results of equipment tests are supposed to be confidential and noted that Scottie Scheffler's driver had also failed before the championship, but that was not reported until afterward. Scheffler revealed after he won the PGA for his third major title that he had been forced to use a backup driver. Advertisement 'I didn't want to get up there and say something that I regretted,' McIlroy said in a news conference at the Canadian Open, which begins Thursday. 'I'm trying to protect Scottie. I don't want to mention his name. I'm trying to protect TaylorMade. I'm trying to protect the USGA, PGA of America, myself.' It was a strange week for McIlroy, who arrived at the PGA as the most celebrated player in golf after he completed the career Grand Slam with his triumph at the Masters. Instead of taking a victory lap at Quail Hollow — a course where he has won four times — McIlroy was in a bad mood all week, and his refusal to discuss the driver test was much debated. McIlroy gave a day-by-day breakdown of his decisions not to talk to reporters, saying he wanted to practice after his poor first round. He finished his second round late and wanted to put his daughter, Poppy, to bed. He didn't want to talk about his driver, he was tired after his weather-delayed third round, and after his week concluded with a tie for 47th place, he just wanted to go home. He reiterated that PGA Tour players are not required to speak to the media. Advertisement 'I talk to the media a lot,' McIlroy said. 'I think there should be an understanding that this is a two-way street, and as much as we need to speak to you guys — we understand the benefit that comes from you being here and giving us the platform and everything else, I understand that — but again, I've been beating this drum for a long time. 'If they want to make it mandatory, that's fine, but in our rules it says that it's not, and until the day that that's maybe written into the regulations, you're going to have guys skip from time to time, and that's well within our rights.' McIlroy also declined to talk to reporters after he blew a late lead and lost to Bryson DeChambeau in last year's U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. He's a two-time winner of the Canadian Open, and he skipped a PGA Tour signature event last week at the Memorial to play in Canada as his tuneup for next week's U.S. Open at Oakmont. Advertisement Whether he'll be interested in discussing his performance at the storied western Pennsylvania venue remains to be seen. 'If we all wanted to, we could all bypass you guys and we could just go on this,' McIlroy said, holding up his phone. 'We could go on social media and we could talk about our round and do it our own way. 'We understand that that's not ideal for you guys and there's a bigger dynamic at play here.' ___ AP golf:
Extra.ie
15-05-2025
- Health
- Extra.ie
Irish teenagers succeeding at school but struggling with life, UN study finds
Irish teenagers are great at school but among the least happy in the developed world, a United Nations report has found. The country is ranked fifth overall in a global league table of 'Child Wellbeing'. The ranking is based on three areas: mental health, where Ireland ranks a lowly 24th; physical health, where we're ranked 11th; and skills, where the country tops the global league table. Pic: Getty Images The study, conducted by UNICEF, used official data from 36 countries, making comparisons and offering analysis. Top of the list was the Netherlands, followed by Denmark, France and Portugal, with Ireland in fifth. Britain is ranked 21st and scores below Ireland on all three categories. The report – Report Card 19: Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable World – compares the well-being of children across 43 OECD and EU countries. According to the findings, one in three Irish 15-year-olds report low life satisfaction. Ireland's youth suicide rate was also found to be above the international average. Unicef Ireland executive director Peter Power said: 'These findings are stark. Ireland's teens are succeeding in school but struggling in life. We must match our investment in academic achievement with the same urgency for mental and emotional wellbeing.' The report gives no reason for the low level of 'life satisfaction'. Pic: Getty Images It said: 'Analysing change from 2018 to 2022, the report found the Covid-19 pandemic had a marked negative impact on children's mental health as a result of school shutdowns and social isolation. 'Across 26 countries with available data, life satisfaction among adolescents declined in 22.' More than one in four children and young teenagers were also found to be overweight or obese. UNICEF Ireland has called on the Government to take targeted actions to protect child wellbeing, including increasing investment in school mental health services, improving school meals and strengthening digital resilience. The report said: 'Over the past 25 years, there have been notable improvements in child wellbeing in the group of countries examined in this report: steady decline in child mortality, overall reduction in adolescent suicide and increase in school completion rates.' Pic: Shutterstock However, it added: 'The last five years have shown warning signs in deteriorating life satisfaction and falling academic skills in most countries. Obesity rates are also rising.' The report shows that the hard-won progress in child wellbeing in this group of countries is becoming increasingly vulnerable to global events and shocks. The past five years have shown warning signs in deteriorating life satisfaction and falling academic skills in most countries. The report also highlights the closeness between Irish children and their parents, revealing how often children's parents, or someone close to them, spent time just talking with them. It points out that the frequency of talking with parents is strongly positively associated with life satisfaction. 'In all countries, more than half of children said that their parents spent time talking with them at least once a week, ranging from 53% in Japan to 91% in Ireland,' it said. Ireland has the third-lowest child mortality rate among rich countries in the world, at six deaths per 10,000 children aged five to 14. Across six indicators of child wellbeing from 2018 to 2022, Ireland's position improved in three of them – suicide, mortality and social – and was static in the remaining three: life satisfaction, overweight and academic. Its position did not deteriorate in any category, the study found.
Irish Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish teens among the unhappiest in the world and pandemic deepened the crisis
A new report by UNICEF claims Irish teenagers are amongst the unhappiest in the world because they succeed academically but struggle in life. Around 33% of the teens claim to have a low satisfaction with their lives, according to UNICEF's Report Card 19: Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable World. It warned that Ireland's youth suicide rate is above the international average after comparing the wellbeing of teens across 43 OECD and EU countries. The Covid-19 pandemic, school closures, social isolation and separation from their peers and support systems, plus health concerns like weight are all referenced in the report. UNICEF claimed that these issues have 'deepened existing inequalities', especially amongst teens from disadvantaged areas. A UNICEF spokesperson said: 'The aftershocks of the pandemic, combined with economic pressures and digital harm, are reversing decades of progress in child wellbeing. Governments are urged to centre children in recovery plans and ensure young people have a voice in shaping their futures. The spokesperson added: 'Irish teenagers are among the least happy in high-income countries, despite leading the world in academic skills. While Ireland ranks first for academic performance, it falls to 24th for adolescent mental wellbeing — placing it in the bottom half globally. 'The findings reveal that nearly one in three 15-year-olds in Ireland report low life satisfaction. The country's youth suicide rate stands at 6.4 per 100,000, which is above the international average. The report analyses changes from 2018 to 2022, a period marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, school closures, and widespread social isolation. 'The report also highlights physical health risks. In Ireland, more than one in four children and adolescents (25.7%) are overweight or obese." UNICEF Ireland responded to the report by urging the Government to 'take targeted actions to protect child wellbeing, including'. The charity's executive director Peter Power warned: 'These findings are stark. Ireland's teens are succeeding in school, but struggling in life. We must match our investment in academic achievement with the same urgency for mental and emotional wellbeing.' UNICEF Ireland's head of advocacy, Aibhlin O'Leary, said: 'The pandemic has deepened existing inequalities, setting a troubling precedent for children's wellbeing, particularly among those from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds."
The Irish Sun
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Irish teens ‘succeeding in school, struggling in life', expert says amid ‘stark' least happy in developed world report
IRISH teenagers are among the least happy in high-income countries, despite leading the world in academic skills. Almost one in three 15-year-olds report life satisfaction across the country, the UNICEF report revealed. 2 More than one in four children and adolescents are overweight or obese in Ireland Credit: Getty While Ireland ranks first for academic performance, it falls to 24th for adolescent Ireland's youth suicide rate also stands at 6.4 per 100,000 which is above the international average. The Report Card 19: Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable World compares the wellbeing of Executive Director of UNICEF Ireland, Peter Power, said: "These findings are stark. Read more in Health "Ireland's teens are succeeding in school, but struggling in life. "We must match our investment in academic achievement with the same urgency for mental and emotional wellbeing." The report analysed changes from 2018 to 2022, a period marked by the Across 26 countries with available data, life satisfaction among adolescents declined in 22. Most read in The Irish Sun School shutdowns, which lasted anywhere from three to twelve months, disconnected young people from peers, teachers, and critical support systems. More than one in four children and adolescents are The 15 signs a loved one is struggling with their mental health - and how to help When combined with constant exposure to unrealistic online body standards, the mental and physical health pressures on young people are intensifying. Head of Advocacy at UNICEF Ireland, Aibhlin O'Leary, added: "The pandemic has deepened existing inequalities, setting a troubling precedent for children's wellbeing - particularly among those from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds. "To respond meaningfully, we need a unified, child-centred strategy that tackles these disparities head-on and supports every child, at every stage of their development." UNICEF Ireland is urging the government to take targeted actions to protect child wellbeing, including increasing investment in in-school mental health services, particularly in disadvantaged areas, and drastically reducing waiting times for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). UNICEF Ireland targeted actions: Other targeted actions include: Improving physical health by enforcing strict nutritional standards for school meals to ensure all children, especially in disadvantaged areas, have access to nutritious, balanced meals; regulation of the marketing of unhealthy foods to children, in line with public health priorities, must also be prioritised. Strengthening digital resilience and body image education within the Junior Cycle curriculum, ensuring these topics are comprehensively delivered to address the harmful mental health effects of online pressures and unrealistic beauty standards. Engaging children and young people in conversations about their experiences with mobile phones and digital technology, fostering digital literacy and awareness of their rights in the online space. This includes working with them to identify and address the challenges they face online, and developing solutions that promote their mental health and overall wellbeing A spokesperson added: "UNICEF warns that the aftershocks of the pandemic, combined with economic pressures and digital harm, are reversing decades of progress in child wellbeing. "Governments are urged to centre children in recovery plans and ensure young people have a voice in shaping their futures." 2 The mental and physical health pressures on young people are intensifying Credit: Getty
Irish Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Irish teens rank in bottom half in developed world for wellbeing
Irish teenagers are in the bottom half for wellbeing in high-income countries despite leading in academic performance, the latest report by Unicef has found. The report – Report Card 19: Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable world – compares the wellbeing of children across 43 countries in the EU and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Of these, Ireland ranks 24th for adolescent wellbeing, placing it in the bottom half globally. Drawing on official data and offering analysis, the study also reveals Ireland's youth suicide rate to be above the international average, standing at 6.4 per 100,000. 'These findings are stark,' said Peter Power, executive director of Unicef Ireland. READ MORE 'Ireland's teens are succeeding in school, but struggling in life. We must match our investment in academic achievement with the same urgency for mental and emotional wellbeing,' he added. Nearly one in three 15-year-olds in Ireland reported low life satisfaction, while analysis from 2018 to 2022 indicates declining life satisfaction in adolescents across 22 of 26 countries with available data. Unicef pointed to the role of school closures and widespread social isolation during this period due to the Covid-19 pandemic in disconnecting adolescents from critical support systems. 'The pandemic has deepened existing inequalities, setting a troubling precedent for children's wellbeing – particularly among those from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds,' said Aibhlin O'Leary, head of advocacy at Unicef Ireland. 'To respond meaningfully, we need a unified, child-centred strategy that tackles these disparities head-on and supports every child, at every stage of their development.' Also highlighting physical health risks, the report found that more than one in four children and adolescents in Ireland are overweight or obese. Unicef Ireland has called on the Government to take targeted actions to protect child wellbeing, including increasing investment in school mental health services and reducing waiting times for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), improving school meals and strengthening digital resilience within the Junior Cycle curriculum.
