Rory McIlroy has been unhappy with the reporting surrounding him in recent days. For instance, he was left annoyed during the PGA Championship last month after countless reports discussed how his driver failed a ‘non-conforming’ test. The golfer proceeded to skip media duties on all four days at Quail Hollow, but it didn’t stop there. He skipped media duties once again at the Canadian Open, but broke that trend during the first and second rounds at Oakmont for the 2025 US Open.

After a shaky start at Oakmont, where he pulled his drive into a fairway bunker on the opening hole and failed to get it back out, and another double bogey at the third hole due to an errant drive and failed bunker shot, McIlroy battled back and secured a spot for the weekend. But speaking in a post-round interview at Oakmont, McIlroy did not hold back on what he thinks of all the media controversies surrounding him.

Reporter: “You’re so transparent for us and very available. Yesterday was six major rounds in a row you’ve stepped away. Has that been part and parcel to the frustration on the golf course? What do you attribute it to?” 
McIlroy: “No, not really. It’s more a frustration with you guys.” 

Reporter: “In what way?”
McIlroy: “I’m just, yeah, I don’t know. I have, I’ve been totally available for the last few years, and I’m not saying — maybe not you guys, but maybe more just the whole thing.”

Reporter: “Did it stem from the whole driver thing?”
McIlroy: “Yeah, part of — 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 if as if — it’s not out of the ordinary. I’ve done it before; I’m just doing it a little more often.”

Reporter: “Is it part of the, you kind of carried the Tour, in your words, for three, four years now. Do you feel like you’ve earned the right?”
McIlroy: “I feel like I’ve earned the right to do whatever I want to do, yeah.”

Reporter: “You have, in relation to that, almost addressed the fact that the Tour does not require that kind of thing. It’s almost like you’re daring them to do so in some way. Is that, you know, in terms of a requirement of the players?”
McIlroy: “No, I’m not daring them to do anything. I hope they don’t change it because it would, you know — this is, it’s a nice luxury to have. But I’m just pointing out the fact that we have the ability to do it.”

The PGA Championship and the U.S. Open do not fall under the PGA Tour. Most PGA Tour events do not necessarily need players to speak to the media, and the golfer seems to like that freedom.

However, Oakmont has been a struggle for him. He felt his driving was solid, though the results didn’t follow. And on Friday, McIlroy played his last four holes in two under par just to make the cut. He also revealed he wasn’t too keen on making the cut through his second round.

Former Ryder Cup captain thinks Rory McIlroy has ‘something going on with the media’

Paul McGinley, Rory McIlroy’s former Ryder Cup captain, isn’t holding back on his thoughts about McIlroy’s recent media snub. Earlier this week, McGinley noted that McIlroy’s behavior was puzzling. “He’s got something going on with the media. I’m not quite sure what it is,” he said. “This is arguably the best guy that the game has seen in the last decade with the media, and all of a sudden, he’s turned his back against it and is not doing anything so there’s something going on there.”

As someone who has seen McIlroy thrive in the spotlight, McGinley finds it particularly interesting that McIlroy has suddenly turned his back on the media. McGinley emphasized the importance of player engagement for the sport’s growth, pointing out that top players like McIlroy have a responsibility to connect with fans.

The veteran believes that golf should mandate its stars to participate in media interactions, regardless of their performance. With McIlroy’s silence sparking debates, it’s clear that his actions have implications beyond his own game. But will McIlroy’s approach change anytime soon? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!