Nicklaus ‘big fan’ of McIlroy despite Memorial absence

Jack Nicklaus claims to be a “big fan” of Rory McIlroy despite his surprise that the Masters champion won’t be playing at his Memorial Tournament in Ohio this week.

McIlroy has chosen to miss the annual event that Nicklaus holds at Muirfield Village for the first time since 2017.

The 36-year-old from Northern Ireland skipped The Sentry and the RBC Heritage, which is the third time this year that he hasn’t participated in one of the PGA Tour’s marquee events.

Nicklaus responded to McIlroy’s absence with a traditional pre-tournament press conference response: “Yeah, it surprised me.

However, men have schedules and duties, you all know. And you are aware that I haven’t spoken to him to explain why or why not. Simply put, he called.

When I played to play or not to play, I frequently called people to play it, which I didn’t always find to be true. However, you are aware that these calls occasionally must be made.

With the victory at Augusta in April, McIlroy and 18-time major champion Nicklaus were one of six players who had already won the Masters at Augusta and a grand slam of all four major tournaments.

As he gears up for the US Open in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, the third major of the season, and the world number two placed 47th at the US PGA Championship in Quail Hollow, on June 5. The world no. 2 will play there from 12 to 15 June as he prepares for the US Open in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, the US Open, in which he will compete.

The Travelers Championship, the final major championship event of the year, will take place in Connecticut the following week.

He seems to enjoy playing so many games simultaneously. He enjoys playing weeks before US Opens. And he is doing that as well. I really don’t have a comment on it, so Nicklaus added, “you know, I don’t have a comment on it.