Rory McIlroy is standing firm on his choice to avoid a media session during the PGA Championship last month.
Speaking on Wednesday, the Northern Irish golfer expressed that he was “offended” after learning his driver had been labeled non-conforming during the pre-tournament tests.
This incident led McIlroy, aged 36, to abstain from addressing the press following one of the rounds at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, which took place from May 15 to 18.
Interestingly, Scotty Schaeffler also had issues with his driver but went on to win the tournament with a score of 11-under par. While Schaeffler’s situation stayed under wraps, McIlroy’s became public through SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio.
“I was a bit upset because I was aware Scotty’s driver had failed on Monday, but my name got out there,” McIlroy commented during a press conference ahead of the RBC Canadian Open, set to begin Thursday at TPC Toronto in Osprey Valley. “It was meant to be kept private. Two media members disclosed it.”
He added, “I didn’t want to get up there and express my regrets. I’m trying to protect TaylorMade, and I’m not mentioning names to shield Scotty.”
McIlroy described the whole experience as part of a “strange week.” With a disappointing first round of 3-over 74 and a weather-related six-hour delay for the third round, it was quite chaotic.
He acknowledged the importance of media coverage during tournaments, although he expressed some reservations.
“We could all just skip media, go straight to social media, and share our rounds our way,” he noted.
McIlroy made the point that unlike sports like the NBA, NFL, or MLB, the PGA Tour doesn’t mandate players to speak with the media.
“If they want to make it a requirement, that’s fine,” he said. “But our regulations say otherwise, and until that changes, it’s within our rights to sometimes step back.”
