McIlroy ‘annoyed’ by driver story ‘leak’ at US PGA

Rory McIlroy claims that professional golfers have “well within our rights” to avoid the media because he admitted to being “annoyed” by a report about his equipment at the US PGA Championship last month.

The Masters champion claimed that his decision to avoid reporters after each of his four rounds at the second major was a result of fatigue, poor play, desire to see his daughter, and reports that his driver had failed a legality test.

After winning at Quail Hollow, Scottie Scheffler revealed that McIlroy’s name, rather than the American, had been reported by the media during the Northern Irishman’s second round, despite the fact that the USGA had also determined that his driver had also been flagged non-conforming in pre-tournament tests.

For the first time since that incident at this week’s Canadian Open, McIlroy said, “It was supposed to stay confidential.”

The media were the ones who leaked it, according to the statement. There are many people I’m trying to protect, including Scottie, I don’t want to mention his name, the USGA, the PGA of America, and myself, so I didn’t want to go up there and say something that I regretted either.

Non-conforming drivers are “not an unusual occurrence,” according to PGA of America’s chief championships officer Kerry Haigh at Quail Hollow.

Haigh said the results are kept secret to “protect players,” adding that “to publicly identify players whose clubs did not conform can cause that player to be unnecessarily be questioned.”

That’s not my information to share with Scottie’s stuff, I’d say. Five-time major winner McIlroy continued, “I knew that that had happened, but I’m not going to share that.”

According to McIlroy, players and the media have a “two-way relationship,” McIlroy said, adding that players will continue to decline requests to speak as long as it is optional.

“From a responsibility standpoint, I understand, but if we all wanted to, we could all go on [our phones] and use social media to discuss our round and carry out our own thing,” the 36-year-old said.

There is a bigger dynamic at play here, and we fully understand that’s not ideal for you guys. I frequently interact with the media, and I believe there should be a mutual understanding of this.

We are aware of the advantages you and your platform offer us.

After skipping the Charles Schwab Challenge and Memorial Tournament, McIlroy makes his way back to TPC Toronto this week to prepare for the US Open next week.

He won the career Grand Slam at the US PGA at Quail Hollow, where he has won four times, after realizing his lifelong ambition by winning the tournament in April. He placed joint seventh at the Truist Championship.

He wants to reclaim his best form from the opening half of the season with an Open Championship at Royal Portrush in July and an away Ryder Cup in September.

The second-ranked person said, “I don’t know if I’m chasing anything.”

“I’ve had a few weeks off, and going to the range for three or four hours every day is a little harder than it used to be,” I’d say.

You have a goal in your life that you have worked for, and it happens. Sometimes it’s challenging to get back on track and get moving again.

“The past two weeks have been helpful for me as a reset,” according to the statement. “They have helped me figure out where I’m at in my own head, what I want to do, and where I want to play.” I had a good first half of the season, and I want to do the same for the second half.