Major Rory McIlroy News Draws Attention Ahead of RBC Canadian Open

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Major Rory McIlroy News Draws Attention Ahead of RBC Canadian Open originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy has faced significant backlash this week after making a somewhat last-minute decision to withdraw from golf legend Jack Nicklaus' annual Memorial Tournament, which is currently heading into its final round on Sunday with many of the sport's top players competing.
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The criticism surrounding McIlroy stems from the fact that he avoided the media for four days at the PGA Championship and then reportedly did not inform Nicklaus directly of his decision to withdraw. While Nicklaus made it clear that McIlroy doesn't owe him anything, he admitted he was surprised by the move.
'I'm not throwing Rory under the bus,' Nicklaus said. 'I like Rory too much. He's a good kid. He's played some great golf. He's had a lot of things happen to him. He's got to make his own call on things. Could he have done them differently? Probably. But that's all right—I could probably have done some of mine differently, too. I'm not complaining about Rory.'
He continued, 'I haven't talked to him for him to tell me why or why not. It's just his call. I made a lot of calls when I played—whether to play or not play—and sometimes they weren't popular. But sometimes you have to make those calls. I don't hold anything against Rory for that.
'I'm a big Rory fan. I always have been. I'm sure I'll remain that way. I was just … a little surprised, yes.'
Rory McIlroy looks on on the tenth hole during the third round of the Truist Championship golf tournament. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Despite the controversy surrounding McIlroy's absence and lack of communication with the media, he is expected to return to action this week at the RBC Canadian Open.
It was announced on Sunday that he will be available and will speak to the media on Wednesday following the Pro-Am. This will mark his first media appearance since before the PGA Championship.
McIlroy has had a stellar year on the PGA Tour and is currently ranked No. 2 in the world, behind only Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler has also been heating up, holding a one-shot lead heading into the final 18 holes of the Memorial on Sunday as he aims for victory just weeks after winning the PGA Championship—his second career major.
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This year, McIlroy's most prominent win came at Augusta National, where he captured the Masters for the first time to complete the career Grand Slam. He's also claimed titles at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players Championship.
Related: Scottie Scheffler Joins Exclusive Club With Tiger Woods After Latest Victory
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.