PITTSBURGH — Rory McIlroy is supposed to be the face of golf.
The unofficial spokesman of the PGA Tour.
The great ambassador to the sport’s fans.
He has taken on that role and embraced it for years.
Suddenly, though, he has forgotten all that and has become one of the most insufferable players on the tour.
And it isn’t just about him not talking to the media, though that is a part of it. And quite frankly, after his snarky performance in the press conference earlier this week before the U.S. Open — and then again Saturday after his mostly uninspired round — maybe it is good he isn’t talking so much these days.
What’s that old saying? Something about it being better to keep your mouth closed and be thought of as a fool than open it and remove all doubt?
Yeah, he is leaving no doubt for sure. And his behavior has become borderline boorish on the course. He smashed a club and a tee marker after a bad shot and then admitted he didn’t care if he made the cut or not and thought the idea of missing it and going home sounded good to him.
McIlroy has been a fan favorite. He has also been one of the most successful players over the past 15 years, and as a result, he has become wealthy beyond what most people could even dream of. That fact alone makes it amazing that he is so surly these days and so unapproachable when he has a bad day on the course.
He isn’t some piker grinding away trying to keep his tour card or one bad round from being back on the Korn Ferry Tour. In that case, I might have a little sympathy for a guy who has a bad round and doesn’t want to talk about it because he feels the pressure of trying to make a living and knows his next paycheck might not cover his bills.
Mcllroy doesn’t need to play another round of competitive golf in his life; he is set for life. He doesn’t even need to grind away to try and earn spots in big events because he almost assuredly could get a sponsor exemption to most any event he wants to be a part of.
Then again, there is a real chance that McIlroy doesn’t want to play golf anymore, needs some sort of mental rest, and will take a break because he is burned out.
“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 said when asked how he was able to birdie two holes on the back nine Friday to make the cut. “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.”
I had to do a double take when I saw that and had to listen to that a few times, but he really did say that, and no, he wasn’t joking. And if you had any doubt about whether he meant what he said, he doubled down when asked what he was hoping for in Sunday’s final round. This was his answer:
“Hopefully, a round in under four and a half hours and get out of here.”
That speaks to his attitude in recent weeks; it speaks volumes about why he has not been good in recent weeks. If he is that miserable, he should just take his disrespect of Oakmont Country Club, the PGA Tour and the USGA and withdraw and go home without playing tomorrow. That would save us all a lot of trouble and might save him from doing something else embarrassing.
He was roasted about his new driver being nonconforming a little while back, and as a result, he refused to speak to the media after every round of the PGA Championship and after the first two competition days of this event.
He explained that by saying he was frustrated with “you guys,” meaning the media, then backed off of that a little and said that maybe it is the “whole thing” that has got to him. He explained that he is almost always available, but he has chosen to be a little less available these days, which is totally his right.
But in my mind, being less available for one of the highest-profile players should mean fewer interviews, appearances and things outside of the major events. He should be available and willing to talk and represent the sport of golf in the best way possible at these major events, where everybody is watching, and interviews are basically built into the week.
I’m sorry, that’s bush league because McIlroy is one of the most prominent and most powerful voices in professional golf, and he had no issues talking to the media and being available when he was at the Masters and being celebrated for earning the career Grand Slam. Again, if he was a guy grinding for his next meal, I might be a little more understanding of this, but while it is his right not to speak, it is his responsibility to be one of golf’s greatest voices.
That is separate from his antics on the course, particularly when he smashed the tee marker after hitting an errant shot Friday. I have no idea why this was not grounds for an immediate disqualification or, at the very least, a 2-stroke penalty. It is one thing to break his own club or whatever, but in this case, he damaged USGA property because he was mad.
If you think I am overstating how serious of an offense this is, go to your local muni or country club tomorrow, take your club, smash the tee marker in plain sight of the starter, and see how long it is before you are escorted off the property and told never to come back. I’ll give you a hint: You would be gone, which is why it is so absurd that McIlroy not only decided to smash the tee marker but got away with it.
This is supposed to be golf’s biggest stage, not the Masters. It is a time for the pros to showcase their skills and also grow the game, support, and, by extension, the game’s fan base.
Mcllroy is supposed to be one of the game’s biggest ambassadors, but it seems he has forgotten that and has made a complete spectacle out of himself this week at Oakmont.
In fact, the only thing worse than his attitude has been his golf, and that has been a double whammy in terms of damage to his brand and his reputation.
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