‘For My Mental and Emotional Well-Being…’: After Getting Scrutinized by Golf World For Weeks, Rory McIlroy Breaks Silence on His Absence From $20,000,000 PGA Tour Event

Published 05/03/2023, 7:50 AM EDT

In April, former number 1 golfer, Rory McIlory, surprised everyone with his unexpected withdrawal from RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

There was no explanation for McIlroy’s absence. There were only speculations. Many attributed it to his disappointing performance at the Masters, where he missed the cut and now will have to wait another year for a Grand Slam, while other fans speculated that his absence was because of personal matters.

Now, finally, the world No. 3 is back. He broke his silence as he returned to the PGA Tour at the Wells Fargo Championship.

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Rory McIlroy speaks about his controversial withdrawal

On Sky Sports News’ official Twitter account, McIlory was seen speaking with Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis and finally answering the question that has been bugging fans for weeks. He explained why he missed the Harbour Town Tournament. The tweet was captioned with: “A needed break.” McIlroy said he skipped the RBC Heritage for mental health related reasons following his missed cut at the Masters.

“I needed a break for me after the disappointment of Augusta. It’s been a pretty taxing 12 months mentally so it was nice to just try to disconnect a little bit and get away from it. It’s nice to come back and feel refreshed and I think we’re on a pretty busy run here from now until after the playoffs so I’m excited to get going.” said the Northern Irish professional golfer.

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“After the disappointment of Augusta and how I played there it was just, I think just more for my mental and emotional well-being, I just needed to be at home for those few weeks as I said looking forward to getting back at it this week.”

🗣️ "A needed break."
Rory McIlroy said he skipped the RBC Heritage for mental health related reasons following his missed cut at the Masters. 💬 pic.twitter.com/kjNmt0AqTK
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) May 2, 2023

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Consequences of missing the RBC Heritage

All players have one free absence, and McIlroy already used his in the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January. Due to his unexpected exit from RBC Heritage, 25% of the designated share of the PIP bonus, or $3 million, was automatically lost. Many believed that McIlroy was already familiar with the repercussions of his decision.

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According to Sports Illustrated, Joel Dahmen said: “I feel like Rory was leading the charge on the changes that have been made and he helped make the rules. He knew what the rules were. So, he knew what was coming. He also has so much money, he doesn’t care about $3 million.”

American professional golfer, Xander Schauffele also gave his opinion on the PGA loyalist’s dramatic exit. He said: “Rules are the rules. So, I mean, for the most part, a lot of what he wanted is what’s happening. And the irony is that he’s not here.”

McIlroy has been perhaps the most vocal advocate for PGA TOUR golfers since LIV golf entered golf last year. His absence gave many of his fans an opportunity to criticize him. Do you think McIlroy’s reason to miss the tournament was justified? Let us know in the comments below.

Watch This Story: After Making Jealousy Claims, LIV Golfer Unfolds Awkward Moment With Rory McIlroy: “There’s A Lot of That”

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Written by:

Rajnandini is a promising addition to the team as a Golf writer. She was recently recruited in the latest round of ‘ES Draft’ as one of the young writers who is an avid golf enthusiast. With Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson being her entry into the fandom of the sport, Rajnandini believes LIV Golf is the future of the sport.

Edited by:

Manaal Siddiqui

‘For My Mental and Emotional Well-Being…’: After Getting Scrutinized by Golf World For Weeks, Rory McIlroy Breaks Silence on His Absence From $20,000,000 PGA Tour Event

Rory McIlroy speaks about his controversial withdrawal

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Consequences of missing the RBC Heritage