Rory McIlroy has opened up on why he avoided media duties at the PGA Championship last month and revealed he was “p***ed off” after news of his driver failing a compliance test was leaked to the press.
McIlroy was heavily tipped to shine at Quail Hollow, a course where he had enjoyed success in the past and following on from his Masters triumph in April, but it wasn’t to be as the world No 2 struggled to find his best form.
He did not speak to the media after any of his four rounds at the tournament, and was irked when news broke that his driver had been deemed non-compliant before the event began.
Speaking ahead of this week’s Canadian Open, McIlroy said: “The PGA was a bit of a weird week. I didn’t play well.
“I didn’t play well the first day, so I wanted to go practice, so that was fine. On the second day, we finished late and I wanted to go back and see Poppy [his daughter] before she went to bed. The driver news broke, I didn’t really want to speak on that. On Saturday, I was supposed to tee off at 8.20 in the morning, I didn’t tee off until almost two in the afternoon. Another late finish, I was just tired, I wanted to go home. Then Sunday, I just wanted to get on the plane and go back [home] to Florida.”
Information on the official assessment of equipment is meant to remain confidential, as it can lead to accusations of wrongdoing when in reality clubs are often found to have changed in a way that makes them non-confirming.
McIlroy said part of his frustration was that the world No 1 Scottie Scheffler also had to change his driver, but that news was kept under wraps. Scheffler went on to win the tournament.
McIlroy added: “The driver stuff, I was a little p***ed 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. Two members of the media were the ones that leaked it.
“Again, I didn’t want to get up there and say something that I regretted, either. I’m trying to protect Scottie. I don’t want to mention his name. I’m trying to protect TaylorMade [manufacturer]. I’m trying to protect the USGA, PGA of America, myself.
“I just didn’t want to get up there and say something that I regretted at the time.”
