Rory McIlroy expresses frustration over leaked driver story and media pressures ahead of Canadian Open.
Rory McIlroy has admitted feeling “pretty annoyed” after details about his driver failing a US PGA Championship legality test were leaked to the media. The Northern Irishman revealed the breach of confidentiality affected his decision to skip post-round media duties during the major last month.
The story, which was supposed to remain confidential, was leaked by two members of the media, McIlroy said during his first press appearance since the US PGA at this week’s Canadian Open. Although Scottie Scheffler’s driver was also deemed non-conforming in pre-tournament USGA tests, the American player’s name was not publicly reported — unlike McIlroy’s, which caused frustration.
“It was supposed to stay confidential,” McIlroy explained. “I didn’t want to say anything I might regret because I’m trying to protect a lot of people — Scottie, TaylorMade, the USGA, the PGA of America, and myself.”
PGA of America chief championships officer Kerry Haigh has described non-conforming drivers as “not an unusual occurrence” and said results are kept private to “protect players” from unnecessary questioning. Haigh added that publicly naming players with non-conforming clubs could lead to unfair scrutiny.
McIlroy reiterated this point, stating, “That process is supposed to be kept confidential and it wasn’t for whatever reason, so that’s why I was pretty annoyed.”
Reflecting on media obligations, McIlroy emphasised the “two-way street” nature of the relationship between players and journalists. While he understands the role of media in promoting the sport, he defended players’ rights to skip media sessions when they feel it necessary.
“From a responsibility standpoint, I get it,” said McIlroy, “but if we wanted to, we could bypass you guys, go on social media, and talk about our round our own way.”
The 36-year-old highlighted that current rules do not mandate mandatory media appearances after rounds. “Until the day it’s written into regulations, guys are going to skip from time to time, and that’s well within our rights.”
Following his career Grand Slam achievement at the Masters in April, McIlroy has taken a brief pause from competition, missing events like the Charles Schwab Challenge and Memorial Tournament to focus on practice and rest.
He hopes to regain his best form as he prepares for the US Open next week, followed by a historic Open Championship on home soil at Royal Portrush in July and the Ryder Cup in September.
“It’s tough sometimes to find motivation after hitting a lifelong goal,” McIlroy admitted. “But the past two weeks have been good for me to reset, figure out what I want to do and where I want to play.”
McIlroy’s focus now turns to the Canadian Open, where he is bidding for a third title after previous wins in 2019 and 2022. The world number two tees off at 12:40 BST on Thursday at TPC Toronto, eager to build momentum for the second half of the season.
Despite recent challenges, McIlroy remains determined to perform at his best and pursue new achievements in golf’s biggest tournaments.
