Rory in China customs tug-of-war

Chinese customs officials have impounded Roy McIlroy’s US Open Trophy and are refusing to release it.
Not everything runs smoothly in China it seems – Chinese customs officials have impounded Roy McIlroy’s US Open Trophy and are refusing to release it.
And nobody seems to knows why.
McIlroy’s management team had the trophy he won at Congressional Country Club in Maryland in June, packed in a special protective box and sent to China in October so that he could showcase it during his final six tournaments of the year starting at the Shanghai Masters.
But when no one was available to receive it when it arrived at its destination, Chinese customs official are reported to have stepped in and impounded the trophy and have so far refused to release it back into the hands of McIlroy who wants to put it on show at the European Tour’s season closing Dubai World Championship next week.
“The trophy was shipped out in its special protective box to Shanghai …but there was no one present at the course to receive it so it was taken back to the shipping agents’ depot,” Conor Ridge, McIlroy’s Horizon Sports agent, was reported by Reuters as saying at the weekend.
“So I then got in contact with IMG (the sports management company who are involved in the promotion of many European Tour events) in order that we could at least have the trophy on hand for the following week’s HSBC Champions event …but I was informed that China customs said they were now not releasing the trophy, and they still won’t give it to us.”
Ridge said his company had been forced to get the United States Golf Association, who administer the US Open, involved in the matter in an effort to get the trophy back.
Latest
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas pays tribute to caddie Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay after his US PGA victory
Phil Mickelson’s former bagman gave Thomas a crucial pep talk after he shot 74 on Saturday.
-
PGA Championship
Tommy Fleetwood confident he is ‘coming out the other side’ after dip in form
Fleetwood finished in a tie for fifth at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA Championship
Emotional Justin Thomas credits his experience for US PGA victory
Thomas also won the 2017 US PGA at Quail Hollow.
-
PGA Championship
Justin Thomas eclipses Will Zalatoris in play-off to claim second US PGA title
The former world number one’s victory equalled the biggest comeback in US PGA history.
-
PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy’s Sunday charge at US PGA Championship ends in disappointment
McIlroy’s closing 68 in Tulsa was followed by him declining to speak to waiting reporters.
-
PGA Championship
Paul McGinley says Tiger Woods deserves better than to be a ‘ceremonial golfer’
The 46-year-old withdrew from a major championship for the first time in his professional career at Southern Hills.
-
PGA Championship
Mito Pereira with three-shot lead at US PGA as Tiger Woods withdraws
It is the first time in his career that Woods has withdrawn from a major.
-
PGA Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick relishing chance at securing first major title
A third round of 67 means Fitzpatrick trails leader Mito Pereira by three shots at the US PGA Championship.
-
PGA Championship
Tiger Woods withdraws from US PGA following his worst round at event
The American made the halfway cut with a shot to spare at Southern Hills, but struggled to a nine-over-par 79 in the third round.
-
PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy suffers early blow to slip further back at PGA Championship
After a run of five straight pars McIlroy pulled his tee shot to the par-three sixth into the water and ran up a double-bogey five.