Rory McIlroy under fire after US Open interview as golf fans have their say
Rory McIlroy hasn't always had the best relationship with the media as fans have criticised the Northern Irishman for his comments during the US Open
Golf ace Rory McIlroy 's remarks following his latest US Open stint have sparked a flurry of debate among fans and pundits alike. The five-time major winner, who avoided journalists after the opening rounds, broke his silence speaking to the press after seven long championship rounds across major tournaments.
McIlroy, fresh from his Masters triumph, spoke frankly about his tribulations at the Pennsylvania course. Not only did he express hesitation about continuing past Friday's round, but he also stoked controversy by stating that he has "earned the right" to select when he engages with media outlets.
This candidness stirred a reaction on social media; some golf enthusiasts dubbed McIlroy's attitude as brashness, while others slung harsher words calling him a "Complete loser" and "So unlikable."
Nevertheless, it wasn't all criticism thrown at the Northern Irish pro, as some supporters came to his defence. Amidst the backlash, a supporter argued, recognising McIlroy's slate of achievements including his career grand slam.
"I'm not even a huge fan of Rory but people need to give this dude a break. He doesn't have to prove anything to anyone. He's one a few players alive with a grand slam in his pocket. Let the man be," reports the Mirror US.
The European Ryder Cup hero has been making headlines not just for his swings but also for his silence. Last month at the PGA Championship, he made a statement by refusing to speak after each round at Quail Hollow.
This followed the revelation that McIlroy had to switch clubs just before the major tournament began because his driver face didn't pass a routine USGA check. When probed about whether the drama over his non-conforming driver influenced his media blackout, he admitted: "I mean, that was a part of it. Yeah, that was a part of it.
"But it's not as if -- like at Augusta, I skipped you guys on Thursday, so yeah, again, it's not as if it's not out of the ordinary. I've done it before; I'm just doing it a little more often." McIlroy has faced a challenging time on the course at Oakmont, with even the world's top players struggling against the punishing conditions.
On Friday, the 36-year-old had to pull off two late birdies just to stay above the cut line. When asked about his close shave on Saturday, McIlroy candidly said: "It's funny, like it's much easier being on the cut line when you don't really care if you're here for the weekend or not."
McIlroy seemed to be looking forward to a swift departure from the championship, saying: "I was sort of thinking, do I really want two more days here or not. So it makes it easier to play better when you're in that mindset."
He added: "Hopefully a round in under four and a half hours and get out of here," indicating his desire to wrap up his final round quickly on Sunday, with an early tee time awaiting him as he sits at 10-over with 18 holes remaining.
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The Guardian
25 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Rory McIlroy's indifference is understandable after achieving his dream
A snapshot of Rory McIlroy's new normal arrived the day before the US PGA Championship began. McIlroy's practice round at Quail Hollow was watched by more than 50, inside the ropes. Journalists, content creators, wannabe content creators … everyone wanted not just a glimpse – you can get that from the bleachers – but a piece of golf's latest grand slam man. McIlroy played a hole while being interviewed for the tournament's main preview show. All soft, knock-around stuff but inevitably a distraction. It was difficult to shake the notion that Tiger Woods would never have tolerated such a scenario. It is also thankfully a truism that McIlroy is not Tiger Woods. The Northern Irishman's chatty, warm personality endears him to so many. In a non-tribal sport people root for Rory, none more so than at Augusta National when more that a decade of frustration ended amid euphoric April scenes. Hardened men shed tears in a media centre, no less. In Pittsburgh, you needn't go far to encounter complaint at the long-term decline of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Even an iconic ballpark cannot pull in the masses any more. A few miles away at Oakmont, golf's chattering classes have a gripe of their own; Rory McIlroy and a refusal to engage as before with the media. It is a preposterous discussion on one level, as if four minutes of quotes after a 75 somehow impacts McIlroy's legacy as much as Masters glory. Yet it is also an intriguing one, if only when assessing why the 36-year-old turned mute. The simple answer is McIlroy is irritated, not unreasonably, after giving the very people now sniping probably the greatest story they will ever report upon. None of them were in New Orleans for McIlroy's first post-Masters appearance, where the five-time major winner was perfectly expansive. Within two days of McIlroy being pursued by all and sundry at Quail Hollow, news emerged that his driver had failed a routine conformance test. This was a clumsy situation, largely on account of a needlessly secretive process but it was McIlroy's name alone that surfaced. It did via a partner broadcaster, which will have turned heads in Camp McIlroy. Conspiracy theorists ignored the fact he was 175th on the PGA Tour's driver accuracy table heading into the US PGA. There is a reason a seven-iron sits in McIlroy's display cabinet in Augusta's champions locker room. Headlines subsequently surrounded McIlroy's failure to play the Memorial tournament in Ohio. The event had never appeared on McIlroy's schedule in the first place. Far more significant than McIlroy not advertising his plans is that he deems big events on the PGA Tour worthy of skipping. McIlroy has spoken about scaling down his playing commitments in the US; he will instead appear in India and Australia in 2025. The US-obsessed PGA Tour should be concerned by its biggest draw's dream of a properly global sport. Sportspeople often speak of regret having not enjoyed their highest highs. With Green Jacket in tow, McIlroy headed to England and Northern Ireland. He did the chatshow circuit in New York. Presumably he found the Europa League final as tedious as the rest of us but he made sure he had a front-row seat in Bilbao. The resetting of goals, the hitting of more greens, can wait. Few people know what on earth it is like to wake up one morning knowing the only thing that has got you out of bed for the last 10 years is now on your CV. A McIlroy psychological adjustment from this position is as necessary as it may be difficult. McIlroy is cheesed off that he is not playing well – a matter only exaggerated at Oakmont's brutal setup – when there is an abundance of rationale behind that. He is out of competitive sync. 'It's really hard to describe to somebody that hasn't really lived through it,' explained Scottie Scheffler. 'When I woke up after [winning] the PGA Championship this year, I literally felt like I got hit by a bus. I felt terrible. Mentally it is exhausting, physically it is a grind. I can only imagine how Rory felt after winning the career grand slam.' After his third round at this US Open, he stood before the media when giving the impression he would rather be undergoing root canal treatment. He had skipped post-round duties for the previous six rounds in a row, only one of which was sub-70. Until the tournament obligates players to talk when requested – which is precisely what they should do – McIlroy can demonstrate his general annoyance in this way. Golf's clickbait modern media world means McIlroy has no scope to speak on an off-the-record basis. 'I feel like I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do,' McIlroy said. His wording here was unusually clumsy, making him look entitled; which he is not. Even when trying to pay lip service, McIlroy cannot stop turning heads. His admission that he didn't care whether he made the Oakmont cut was as brutally honest as it was striking. McIlroy has been irritated by elements of the media before. Last summer, he changed his phone number after untimely and intrusive messages asking for his thoughts on losing by a shot to Bryson DeChambeau at the US Open. McIlroy has never really explained his famous 'if you want to be in the circus, you have to put up with the clowns' comment of more than a decade ago but it appeared a pointed reference to press speculation. Despite these and other minor rumbles, McIlroy has been great for reporters; a constant source of news and unfailingly helpful towards those with whom he has built up proper relationships. The sporting public will remember McIlroy's wondrous shot into the 15th at Augusta on Masters Sunday. They will recall a young man beating the turf on the 18th green while in floods of joyous tears. The media has played a part in McIlroy's profile and undoubtedly will do again. It is just that turning indifference from the golfer towards some of that group as a huge deal or grave error at this particular point in time feels needlessly self-aggrandising.
Reuters
31 minutes ago
- Reuters
Burns takes one-shot lead over Scott and Spaun into final round at Oakmont
OAKMONT, Pennsylvania, June 15 (Reuters) - Sam Burns will try to secure the biggest win of his career when he sets off in the final round of the U.S. Open clinging to a one-shot lead over Australian Adam Scott and J.J. Spaun at Oakmont Country Club on Sunday. Burns, whose best finish at one of golf's blue-riband events came at last year's U.S. Open where he earned a share of ninth place, has been impervious to the major-championship pressure all week and now stands 18 holes away from glory. "As a kid growing up, you dream about winning major championships and that's why we practice so hard and work so hard," Burns, who is four under on the week and one of four players under par, said after the third round. "All these guys in this field I think would agree that to have the opportunity to win a major is special." Scott, the 2013 Masters champion and only player in the top 10 after the third round with a major to his name, has flashed vintage form this week with brilliant ball-striking prowess. The 44-year-old Australian, who is the only player this week with three rounds of par or better, will head out in the final pairing with Burns at 2:15 p.m. ET (1815 GMT). "It would be super fulfilling," Scott said after the third round when asked about the idea of claiming a second major so late in his career. "It would be a hell of a round of golf and an exclamation point on my career." A win for Scott would break the record for longest time between a player winning his first and second majors. The current mark of 11 years is shared by Julius Boros (1952 and 1963 U.S. Opens) and Ben Crenshaw (1984 and 1995 Masters). J.J. Spaun, who had a share of the lead until a bogey at his closing hole on Saturday, will head out in the day's penultimate pairing alongside world number 14 Viktor Hovland, who is three shots back of Burns. Mexico's Carlos Ortiz, one of 14 LIV Golf players who teed up in this year's U.S. Open, was even par on the week and alone in fifth place. Entering the final round, all of the players among the top-10 on the leaderboard rank outside the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking, according to Elias Sports Bureau. The last time all of the players who were among the top 10 on the 54-hole U.S. Open leaderboard ranked outside the top 10 in the rankings was in 1998.
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
US Open star withdraws hours before start of final round after suffering injury and needing medical attention
COR BLIMEY US Open star withdraws hours before start of final round after suffering injury and needing medical attention Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) COREY CONNERS has been forced to withdraw from the US Open just hours before his final round. The Canadian, 33, has been suffering with a right wrist injury. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Corey Conners has been forced to withdraw from the US Open Credit: AP Conners is believed to have sustained the injury during the third round. The issue is said to have occurred as he attempted to play a bunker shot on the 11th hole. Yesterday he required medical attention while out on course. Prior to withdrawing, Conners had been 38th in the standings. READ MORE IN SPORT 'FRUSTRATION WITH YOU GUYS' Rory McIlroy explains skipping media in tense interview THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
