Rory McIlroy Gives Unacceptable Answer on Driver Controversy

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Rory McIlroy Gives Unacceptable Answer on Driver Controversy originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Closure is always good.
When Rory McIlroy finally spoke on driver testing at the Canadian Open on Wednesday, it somewhat closed one door and opened another.
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If you forgot about what happened three weeks ago at the PGA Championship, let's catch up.
USGA representatives test drivers to determine whether they have crossed the line from conforming to nonconforming.
Approximately a third of the field is tested at majors and random PGA Tour events, with positive results, and roughly five to 10 drivers are deemed nonconforming.
In the case of the PGA Championship, McIlroy participated in random testing, and his driver was determined to be nonconforming.
The testing results were to be confidential, but the Ulsterman's positive result was leaked, and the media ran with it.
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For four days of competition, McIlroy didn't talk to the media, and speculation ran rampant about his driver.
Rory McIlroy at the PGA ChampionshipAaron Doster-Imagn Images
After skipping the Memorial, McIlroy wasn't interviewed about his driver until he appeared on Wednesday at a press conference for the Canadian Open.
'I was a little pissed off because I knew that Scottie's (Scheffler) driver had failed on Monday, but my name was the one that was leaked,' McIlroy said. 'It was supposed to stay confidential. Two members of the media were the ones who leaked it.'
Let's be clear: The media don't leak, but report. By definition, they can't leak; they can report what a leaker told them, but they can't leak.
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This means McIlroy's beef is with the leaker, who could come from the USGA testers or the PGA of America.
Since it's confidential, even players would not know of a positive test by another player. Or would they?
'I didn't want to get up there and say something that I regretted, either, because there are a lot of people that — I'm trying to protect Scottie,' McIlroy said, explaining his reason for not talking. 'I don't want to mention his name. I'm trying to protect TaylorMade. I'm trying to protect the USGA, the PGA of America and myself.
First, how did McIlroy know about Scheffler's positive test if it was confidential?
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Second, who is McIlroy protecting? It's common knowledge that drivers' faces become more flexible with use over time — a phenomenon known as "CT creep" — and move from conforming to nonconforming. So, who or what is he exactly protecting?
Three, if you are protecting TaylorMade, the USGA or the PGA of America, what are you protecting them from?
Four, someone leaked the results on McIlroy, and it may well have been the USGA or PGA of America, so why are you protecting them?
'I knew that that had happened, but that's not on me to share that, and I felt that process is supposed to be kept confidential, and it wasn't for whatever reason,' McIlroy said of Scheffler's test results. 'That's why I was pretty annoyed at that.'
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McIlroy's annoyance is understandable, but it had nothing to do with the media but those who decided to leak the results.
Not talking for four days looked petulant and beneath McIlroy.
We still have many questions on the driver, which is why the door is somewhat closed, but that will have to wait until the U.S. Open.
Everyone should take a page from the Jack Nicklaus school regarding the media's treatment.
Last week, Nicklaus was asked how he treats the media, and as he has in the past, he was forthcoming and understanding of the media's job.
He expressed the need for the media to do their job, even when the subject is unpleasant. His answers were a lesson for every professional athlete.
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Related: Jack Nicklaus Surprised That Rory McIlroy Skipped Memorial
Related: Rory McIlroy Playing With House Money
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.