Wozniacki takes comfort from Liverpool connection

Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki said she was drawing comfort from her fellow supporters of the Liverpool soccer club in her first public comments since golfer Rory McIlroy announced their wedding had been called off.

The 25-year-old Northern Irishman issued a statement on the eve of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth saying he was not ready for marriage.

"It's a hard time for me right now," former world No 1 Wozniacki said on Twitter on Thursday.

"Thanks for all the sweet messages! Happy I support Liverpool right now because I know I'll never walk alone," she said in reference to the famous anthem of the five-time European soccer champion.

McIlroy is a lifelong fan of Liverpool's archrival Manchester United and played in the same group as former Old Trafford favorites Peter Schmeichel, Teddy Sheringham and Phil Neville in Wednesday's pre-tournament pro-am.

World No 10 McIlroy said the split came just a few days after wedding invitations had been sent out.

"There is no right way to end a relationship that has been so important to two people," said the twice major winner.

"The problem is mine. The wedding invitations issued at the weekend made me realize I wasn't ready for all that marriage entails.

"I wish Caroline all the happiness she deserves and thank her for the great times we've had."

A distraught McIlroy decided to switch off his mobile phone and give away his laptop after ending his relationship with Wozniacki, he said on Thursday.

The Northern Irishman forgot the some of the pain of his breakup by returning two eagles in a four-under-par 68 in the opening round of the BMW PGA Championship but it was only a temporary respite from his anguish.

"I haven't turned on my phone for a few days and I've given my laptop away," McIlroy said. "I'm sort of living like I'm in the 1970s.

"It's a tough week and I'm not really that comfortable standing here talking about it.

"I don't think you'd be a human being if it wasn't tough, especially when it's a little slow out there and we were walking in between shots," he said after ending the day six strokes behind tournament leader Thomas Bjorn.

"But once I had my mind focused on the task at hand it made it a little easier.

"I admitted yesterday it was going to be a tough week for me and if I can keep my mind busy and just concentrate on my golf and gym work and keep myself going throughout the week, then hopefully I'll make it a bit better for myself," said McIlroy.

(China Daily 05/24/2014 page15)