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NBC Sports
14-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Rory McIlroy speaks to media, expresses his 'frustration with you guys'
Live From the U.S. Open sees the 125th playing of this championship as "wide open" given the tight leaderboard and rainy conditions expected to soften Oakmont ahead of the weekend. OAKMONT, Pa. – Rory McIlroy ended what amounted to a partial boycott of the media on Saturday at the U.S. Open. But what he said didn't suggest his frosty relationship with the press had thawed. For the first time since the Masters, which he won for the first time to complete the career Grand Slam, McIlroy spoke with the media following a round at a major championship. He did pre-tournament interviews at both the PGA Championship and this week's U.S. Open, but he declined to speak with the media following each of his four competition rounds at Quail Hollow and again for the first two rounds this week at Oakmont. McIlroy, who did speak with the press following the first and second rounds last week at the RBC Canadian Open, where he missed the cut, was asked if his frustration stemmed from the degree of difficulty of Oakmont. 'No, not really. It's more a frustration with you guys [the media],' he said. 'I've been totally available for the last few years, maybe not you guys, but maybe more just the whole thing.' McIlroy's frustration with the media seemed to start at the PGA Championship when SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio reported that his driver had been deemed nonconforming following a characteristic time (CT) test before the tournament began. 'Yeah, that was a part of it,' he said Saturday at Oakmont, where he struggled to a 4-over 74 and was tied for 53rd following his round. 'But it's not as if, like at Augusta I skipped you guys on Thursday, again, it's not out of the ordinary. I've done it before; I'm just doing it a little more often.' He also added, 'I feel like I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do.' McIlroy has pointed out that the PGA Tour, which does not run the U.S. Open or PGA Championship, does not have a policy that requires players to speak with the media, and some have speculated that his increasing reluctance to talk with the media was some sort of statement. Golf Channel Staff, 'I'm not daring them [PGA Tour] to do anything,' McIlroy said. 'I hope they don't change it because it's a nice luxury to have. But I'm just pointing out the fact that we have the ability to do it.' McIlroy needed to play his last four holes on Friday in 2 under par to make the cut and said despite his poor performance he was encouraged by his play off the tee. But when asked his plan for Sunday, the message was clear: 'Hopefully a round in under four and a half hours and get out of here,' he said.
Straits Times
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
McIlroy breaks silence on failed driver test at PGA Championship and dodging media
FILE PHOTO: May 18, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Rory McIlroy tees off on the 14th hole during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images/File Photo REUTERS Masters champion Rory McIlroy, who avoided talking to the media at last month's PGA Championship, said on Wednesday he did so because he was "pissed off" that news of his driver failing a test leaked and did not want to say anything he would regret. McIlroy's driver was ruled non-conforming ahead of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club where he switched to a backup and struggled off the tee before ending well out of contention in his first major since winning the Masters in April. Ahead of this week's Canadian Open, world number two McIlroy spoke to journalists for the first time since his pre-tournament press conference at the PGA Championship. The Northern Irishman said he knew world number one Scottie Scheffler's driver was also deemed non-conforming at Quail Hollow but his was the only name that got out. "I was a little pissed off because I knew that Scottie's driver had failed on Monday, but my name was the one that was leaked. It was supposed to stay confidential," said McIlroy. "Again, I didn't want to get up there and say something that I regretted," he added, saying he had been trying to protect Scheffler, equipment firm TaylorMade and the golf associations. A day after SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio reported that McIlroy's driver was ruled non-conforming, the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) of America said that was not unusual and it had no concerns about player intent. No reason for the driver failure has emerged though it may have been simply from overuse. MEDIA APPEARANCES NON-MANDATORY McIlroy said he dodged the media to go and practice after a poor opening round to the PGA Championship and avoided them after the second round - when the report surfaced - so he could see his young daughter before she went to bed. The five-times major champion said he was eager to leave the course after inclement weather delayed his third round then after the final round was simply in a rush to get home. PGA Tour players are not mandated to address the media after their rounds but the decision by McIlroy, who is arguably the face of golf, garnered plenty of attention. "From a responsibility standpoint, look, I understand, but if we all wanted to, we could all bypass you guys and we could just ... go on social media and we could talk about our round and do it our own way," said McIlroy. "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." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New York Post
04-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
‘Pissed off' Rory McIlroy defends avoiding media after PGA Championship driver controversy
Rory McIlroy is standing behind his decision to skip media sessions at the PGA Championship last month. The Northern Irishman said Wednesday he had been 'pissed off' after news came out that his driver was deemed nonconforming and unusable in pre-tournament testing. As a result, McIlroy, 36, did not speak to reporters after any of his four rounds at Quail Hollow Club, which took place from May 15-18 in Charlotte, where he finished tied for 47th at 3-over. Advertisement 3 Rory McIlroy speaks at a press conference ahead of the RBC Canadian Open. Getty Images Scottie Scheffler also had his driver ruled nonconforming before he went on to win the tournament by finishing 11-under par — but while Scheffler's name stayed confidential, McIlroy's situation was reported by SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio. 'I was a little pissed off because I knew that Scottie's driver had failed on Monday, but my name was the one that was leaked,' McIlroy said in a press conference ahead of the RBC Canadian Open, which begins Thursday at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. 'It was supposed to stay confidential. Two members of the media were the ones that leaked it.' Advertisement 'I didn't want to get up there and say something that I regretted, either, because 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.' McIlroy said the news of his nonconforming driver came as part of a 'weird week,' since he had a poor first round, shooting a 3-over 74, finished late after his second round and had his third round pushed back six hours due to a weather delay. 3 Rory McIlroy hits a tee shot during the final round of the PGA Championship on May 18. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect He said he 'understands the benefit' of having media coverage at tournaments, but qualified it. Advertisement 'If we all wanted to, we could all bypass you guys and we could go on social media and we could talk about our round and do it our own way,' he added. McIlroy pointed to the fact that the PGA Tour does not require its golfers to speak to the media, unlike in the NBA, NFL and MLB. 3 Scottie Scheffler plays a shot from the bunker during the final round of the PGA Championship on May 18. Getty Images 'If they want to make it mandatory, that's fine,' said the five-time major champion. 'But in our rules it says that it's not, and until the day that's written into the regulations, you're going to have guys skip from time to time, and that's well within our rights.'
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Collin Morikawa Refutes PGA Tour Pro's Claim of Players Cheating Driver Test
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Collin Morikawa has gotten into the habit of contradicting Lucas Glover, even without intending to do so. A few months ago, the two had a somewhat contentious exchange about the AimPoint technique, and now, they have opposing views once again, this time about alleged cheating during driver testing. Glover recently claimed that some players hide their real competition drivers when they're selected for testing. From the Muirfield Village Golf Club, home of this week's Memorial Tournament, Morikawa expressed himself to be completely in disagreement: "I don't think people do that. I think people joke about it, but I don't think people do it. And if they do, then, I mean, sure. Is it going to help? I don't think it's going to help," he said. "When these fail, we're on such fine margins that they give us this like green, yellow, red. Like we want our drivers to be in yellow, it's passing, but it's like, you want it to be fast, you don't want it to be slow." "But if it's close to failing or if it's failing and it's close to cracking, I mean, what are you gaining? You're not gaining anything. Guys aren't going to hit it 25 yards further. I don't think it's really changing much. It's just you got to have a line somewhere and that's where they have drawn the line." Collin Morikawa of the United States hits a tee shot on the 12th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 16, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Collin Morikawa of the United States hits a tee shot on the 12th hole during the second round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 16, 2025 in Charlotte, North used his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show to drop the shocking bombshell that not all players are following the rules regarding driver testing: "Most guys don't give them their real driver anyway," he said. "They hand over their backup so it won't fail testing. It's their way of protecting the driver they actually use." The issue came to the forefront two weeks ago during the PGA Championship, when Rory McIlroy's driver was famously declared non-conforming. Despite being one of the pre-tournament favorites, the Northern Irishman performed poorly in the event, which many attribute to his need to play with a different driver than usual. However, it's worth noting that Scottie Scheffler also had to use a backup driver because his competition one was declared non-conforming as well. Scheffler went on to win the event. Last February, amid a debate surrounding pace of play, Lucas Glover proposed a series of measures that included banning the AimPoint technique for reading greens. At the time, he said it's a technique that "takes forever" and has no real effect on improving putting. Morikawa, one of the top players who use AimPoint, responded to these comments by saying that long putters should also be banned. This controversial type of club is used by many players, including Glover. More Golf: Charlie Woods Goes Nuclear, Blows Past Miles Russell, Field for 1st Win
Hamilton Spectator
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Glover says players can skirt the driver test. USGA chief says that isn't the case
DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Former U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover says players have found a way to beat the system by handing the USGA a backup driver if they get picked for random testing on the thinness of the clubface. That didn't bother Mike Whan, the CEO of the USGA, who says it's not that easy. 'We keep serial numbers of the driver that were given us, and 90% of the drivers that were given us in those practice facilities when we test are played on the first tee,' Whan said Tuesday ahead of the U.S. Women's Open in Wisconsin. 'And we expect 10% of players to be making changes, anyway. 'I don't think that's a real concern for us.' Glover got some attention on his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show when he said the test is not stringent enough because only about 30 drivers are randomly selected for testing. And he mentioned another loophole. 'I've been trying to think all morning and all day how to say this without sounding like it's going to sound, but most guys don't give them their real driver, anyway,' Glover said when asked why the USGA didn't just test drivers of every player. 'They give them their backup just in case. 'I know a lot of guys, they keep two drivers in their bag just in case,' he said. ''Hey, oh, yeah, it's this one. It's this one right here. Yeah, do this, test this one.'' The driver testing has been going on for years because after hundreds of swings, the face gets too thin for USGA standards without the players or manufacturers being aware. Rory McIlroy's driver failed the test at the PGA Championship and he had to use a backup. Scottie Scheffler said his driver also was tested and didn't pass , though he knew it was getting close. He went on to win the PGA Championship. Whan said test results are green (pass), yellow (getting close) and red (fail). They are kept confidential to prevent a routine matter from getting too much attention, as was the case at Quail Hollow. 'If they got a yellow, they start preparing for a backup driver or switch,' Whan said. 'It seemed like a big week to everybody else. But for us, it was a pretty standard week.' On the shelf For the second time in three years, Will Zalatoris is missing the heart of the PGA Tour season because of back surgery. Zalatoris, 28, posted a message on Instagram on Monday saying that instability and discomfort in his back this spring kept getting worse, and tests revealed another round of herniated discs. He had surgery on Friday and said he would be out until the fall. 'I'm happy to say I woke up feeling good and excited about my long-term health,' Zalatoris said. 'Time to focus on my recovery and get back after it.' He hit his peak in 2022 when he lost in a playoff at the PGA Championship, missed a 15-foot putt that would have forced a playoff at the U.S. Open and won a playoff in the PGA Tour playoffs opener. He withdrew the following week at the BMW Championship with back pain (and missed the Presidents Cup), and had his first surgery in 2023. Zalatoris reached No. 7 in the world after 2022. He now is at No. 84. PGA Tour University The PGA Tour is adding three players straight out of college from the PGA Tour University ranking, a program aimed at creating a quicker path from college to the pros. A fourth player, Auburn sophomore Jackson Koivun, also earned a PGA Tour card through the accelerated program for underclassmen. Koivun told Golf Digest he would defer membership and return for his junior year at Auburn. Koivun picked up his final point by finishing in the top 10 at the NCAA championship on Monday. He turned 20 last week, making him the youngest player to get a card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program. North Carolina senior David Ford finished atop the PGA Tour University ranking and will have PGA Tour membership the rest of the year. Florida State junior Luke Clanton earned enough points through the accelerated program and will make his pro debut next week in the Canadian Open. Vanderbilt senior Gordon Sargent secured his PGA Tour card in October 2023 and stayed in school. The biggest move Monday came from UCLA senior Pablo Ereno. He tied for sixth in the NCAA championship — the best finish by a Bruins player since Patrick Cantlay tied for fourth in 2012 — and moved from No. 12 to No. 10 in the ranking. That gives him Korn Ferry Tour membership the rest of the year, instead of a spot on PGA Tour Americas. Out of the mouths of babes Incoming LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler learned how different people have different expectations, all because of a conversation with his three young sons. Kessler said he and wife Nicole sat down with their boys — ages 9, 7 and 5 — to explain that he had been offered the job as LPGA commissioner and he wanted their thoughts. He said the oldest asked a dozen qualifying questions to make sure this was the right fit. 'Our 7-year-old said, 'But Dad, you're a boy and I'm a boy, so why don't you just do boy sports?'' Kessler said. 'Which by the way, provided the most incredible teaching moment and we shared with them, 'Look if all we did in life were things that looked like us, that sounded like us, we're sort of missing the plot and leaving so much richness in life on the table.'' Leave it to the 5-year-old to get right to the point. Kessler had told the boys they would take them out of school on occasion so they could join their parents on tour. That included stops in Europe and Asia. 'Our 5-year-old looked at me and said, 'But Dad, do they sell chocolate milk in Asia?' 'It just goes to show you that different stakeholders have different concerns, and it's certainly no different in the Kessler family.' Divots The Korn Ferry Tour will have a new tournament in South Carolina next year. The Colonial Life Charity Classic will be May 14-17 at The Woodcreek Club near Columbia. It will be the second Korn Ferry Tour event in South Carolina, which also has two PGA Tour stops. ... The Senior PGA Championship is moving to The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida, for the next three years starting in 2026. The senior major will be played April 16-19, getting it off the crowded May calendar. It was held this year after the PGA Championship and was the second straight week of a PGA Tour Champions major. ... Ben Griffin became the first player in 10 years to make eagle on the first hole of the final round and go on to win. Griffin won the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial. ... Colonial runner-up Matti Schmid and Bud Cauley, who closed with a 67 to finish third, earned spots in the Memorial this week. Stat of the week Max Homa was No. 10 in the world when he played the Memorial last year. He arrived at Muirfield Village this year at No. 87. Final word 'I can't answer your question because I don't like them.' — Jack Nicklaus , on why a golf course should have a long par 3. ___ AP golf:
