McIlroy Acknowledges Speculations about His Malfunctioning Driver Contributed to His Media Avoidance During PGA Championship
Chatting it Up over Clubs, Controversies, and Course play
Rory McIlroy got chummy with the media gurus ahead of the PGA Championship last month, but once the ball was in play, the four-time major winner, without a second thought, rebuffed every media invite he received during his four marathon days at Quail Hollow.
Taking a break from the green to chat it up, McIlroy spilled several beans about his stonewalling stance during his first media encounter since the major championship wrapped up. His reasons ranged from late finishes due to the capricious weather and family duty back home, to the annoyance brewing from his driver being adjudged non-compliant with the rules earlier in the week.
According to the phantom of the airwaves, SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio, McIlroy's driver fell foul of the rules on Tuesday, a couple of days prior to the tournament's opening round. The big revelation, however, happened on Friday evening, which suggested a deliberate attempt to keep the information under wraps, as McIlroy himself confirmed during his press conference the following week at the RBC Canadian Open.
"The weekend, I just wanted to hop on a plane and jet back to Florida," McIlroy expressed. "Yes, mate, and the driver matter, there was a bit of a storm brewing because I knew that Scottie's driver had tanked on Monday, but my name was the one that was splashed everywhere. It was supposed to stay hush-hush. Two ambitious reporters were the key perpetrators.
"I wasn't about to stand up there and blurt out something I'd later regret, you know, because there are several parties involved here, trying to protect Scottie, TaylorMade, the USGA, PGA of America, myself. I just didn't want to stand up there and shoot my mouth off about something I might regret at the time."
As it turns out, Scottie Scheffler, the eventual champion of the PGA Championship, was asked about driver tests during his winner's press conference following the final round, where he revealed that his driver, indeed, flunked the test earlier in the week.
It seems it was a tightly guarded secret, as no one in the media knew, or at least they didn't spill the beans about the No. 1 player in the world having to switch drivers at the PGA Championship. This clandestine situation led McIlroy to boil over with frustration, as his name was rolled out after the second round due to the leak.
McIlroy then elaborated on the "responsibility" players on the tour have when it comes to corralling the media, while explaining that it's not a necessity.
"From a responsible standpoint, yeah, but if we all wanted to, we could all skip this and just take to social media and vent about our round on our terms," McIlroy shared.
"We understand the power you guys hold and the perks that come with your presence, and I communicate with you guys and the media a lot. I believe there should be a mutual understanding that this is a two-way street, and as much as we need to speak to you guys, we're sort of - like we understand the benefits that come from your presence and everything else. So I get it."
"But again, I've been banging this drum for a while. If they want to make it obligatory, go right ahead, but until that day comes, you'll have guys skipping out on occasions, and that's well within our rights."
As a PGA Tour player and a human, in general, McIlroy has an absolute right to dodge media obligations, and while his candor about the situation is appreciated, it's difficult to argue that it entirely justifies his excuse.
Outside of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, no player over the last twenty years has chatted up reporters more than McIlroy. However, engaging with the media during a major championship, at least once, weeks after securing his career grand slam and establishing himself as his generation's trump card, seems like a no-brainer.
McIlroy never really stood a chance to join the leaderboard at the PGA Championship, and avoiding media questions over the weekend wouldn't have triggered much uproar. However, absenteeism on Thursday and Friday only spawned some unnecessary, and rather whimsical, tumult.
During his chat with the media, Rory McIlroy disclosed his reasons for refusing media interviews during the PGA Championship, including a tense situation regarding a sports-analysis of his driver that had fallen foul of the rules.
Scottie Scheffler, the eventual champion, later confirmed in his winner's press conference that his driver too had initially failed the testing, signifying a covert and controversial situation within the golfing community.
