“Cut him a break.” That was Paige Spiranac’s rallying cry after Rory McIlroy’s crushing loss at the 2024 US Open—when missed putts on the 16th and 18th holes snatched a long-awaited major from his grasp. The golf influencer, never one to shy away from defending players she admires, urged fans to show compassion as McIlroy left Pinehurst shattered and silent. Spiranac’s support didn’t waver—even through the heartbreak, the headlines, and McIlroy’s continued major drought. When McIlroy finally won the Masters in April 2025, completing the elusive career Grand Slam, she was one of the first to gush, addressing him directly: “Thank you for making today one of the most electric rounds of golf I’ve ever seen!”

Fast forward to June, and it’s a very different story. At the 2025 U.S. Open, Rory McIlroy battled through a grim and visibly frustrating tournament. He opened with a 2-over 72 in Round 1, then followed it with a 4-over 74 in Round 2, finishing +6 through 36 holes—just barely making the cut. A clutch birdie putt on the 18th hole of Friday was the only real bright spot, salvaging his chances to play the weekend. As The Score put it, “Very little of his first 36 holes was pretty.” His frustration boiled over multiple times. After a mis-hit approach, he flung an iron down the 12th fairway. On the 17th tee, he smashed his driver head-first into a tee marker.

In Round 3, McIlroy posted another 4-over 74, dropping to +10 and a tie for 53rd after 54 holes. A steadier final-round 70—his best of the week—helped him climb slightly to finish T33 at +7 overall. Even Brandel Chamblee quipped he was “clearly in no mood” as he flung clubs and markers on Oakmont’s brutal greens. But it wasn’t just the golf world watching his scorecard—what really sparked conversation was his near-total silence off the course.

McIlroy, once the sport’s most media-friendly star, avoided interviews for most of the week, and even earlier in May at the PGA Championship. McIlroy finally addressed the media on Saturday and made it clear the silence was intentional. “It’s more a frustration with you guys,” McIlroy told reporters, referring to the media’s role in leaking details about his driver’s non-conforming status at the PGA Championship.

The leak, which occurred just minutes before his opening tee time at Valhalla, blindsided the four-time major winner and, in his words, “completely threw me.” He added that he had been “totally available for the last few years” and felt he had “earned the right” to skip interviews when needed. “Sometimes I just want to play golf,” he said plainly.

And once again, Paige Spiranac had his back. Taking to X, she posted: “Might be an unpopular opinion here but he doesn’t have to talk to the media if he doesn’t want to. It’s not required. And why would he when everyone is always analyzing and criticizing his every move. There is clearly something more going on none of us are privy to so maybe let’s not all pile on.” While some pundits like Brandel Chamblee questioned McIlroy’s change in demeanor, Spiranac argued for grace. After all, she noted, we don’t always know what players are going through beyond the fairways.

And yet, despite that fierce loyalty, some fans were surprised by what Spiranac didn’t do this time around—pick Rory as one of her predicted winners at Oakmont.

Spiranac backs McIlroy the person, but not the pick at Oakmont

The 2025 U.S. Open was always going to be a beast. Oakmont’s diabolical greens and punishing rough promised chaos, and Paige Spiranac’s pre-tournament preview captured that tone perfectly. “It is going to be a true test from start to finish, every single shot,” she said on Instagram and X. She went on to name her top contenders: world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who still hasn’t conquered a U.S. Open, and Bryson DeChambeau, a two-time champ with power tailor-made for Oakmont. As for dark horses? Harris English and Ben Griffin made her shortlist.

But the headline wasn’t who was on her list, it was who wasn’t. For all her public admiration of McIlroy, Spiranac left the newly minted Masters champ out of her Oakmont picks entirely. It raised eyebrows. McIlroy’s season had been electric early—wins at Pebble Beach and The Players, then the historic Masters triumph. But since Augusta, the wheels had started to wobble. He finished T47 at the PGA Championship, then missed the cut at the RBC Canadian Open. Spiranac didn’t address the omission directly, but her picks made one thing clear: sentiment doesn’t drive her predictions.