Rory McIlroy has adopted a selective schedule this season, committing to just nine PGA Tour starts. Even though McIlroy has so far committed to just nine PGA Tour starts this season, the PGA Tour granted him an exemption under its “medical reasons or other extraordinary circumstances” provision, allowing him to remain in good standing. On Wednesday, he stepped away from the course and made an appearance at Wimbledon.

The reigning Masters champion arrived at Centre Court wearing his iconic green jacket as he sat alongside his wife, Erica Stoll, in the Royal Box. Stoll wore a white wrap dress for the outing. While the outfit earned him a standing ovation from the Wimbledon crowd, it also reignited criticism from golf fans.

Many fans interpreted the Wimbledon appearance as symbolic, arguing that McIlroy wore his Masters green jacket (an obvious pain point for them) to a tennis event while claiming insufficient time for golf.

McIlroy is well short of the Tour’s 15-event minimum for regular members or 12 for life members like McIlroy. Some of those absences trace back to a recurring issue earlier this year, which forced him out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational early and delayed his start at the Players Championship.

Other skipped events include three signature tournaments this year. But they’ve come down to scheduling choices built around the majors.

Normally, falling short of the minimum puts a player’s card at risk, at least in theory. But the PGA Tour handbook gives the commissioner discretion to waive the requirement for members facing “medical reasons or other extraordinary circumstances.”

Moreover, the Green Jacket is permitted to leave Augusta National while the reigning champion holds the title, though champions must obtain the club’s permission before wearing it at public events. Augusta also has strict guidelines governing its public use, including dress requirements and restrictions on being photographed with alcohol while wearing it. McIlroy previously acknowledged those protocols, saying after his first Masters victory in 2025: “I’m sort of reluctant to wear it… You also have to get permission every time you wear it, so there’s a lot of dos and don’ts around it as well.”

Fans have been divided, with some taking Rory McIlroy’s stance, countering that Tiger Woods used a similar approach to pick and choose the events he wanted to play.

However, the comparison to Woods hasn’t softened many fans’ reactions.

Fans turned the Wimbledon photo into a referendum on McIlroy’s schedule.

One fan wrote, “Fresh off his spoiled brat exemption from playing the required amount of tournaments. Contrast this with Padraig Harrington’s response to why he plays so many tournaments. 🤡”

Not every fan is on the side of the exemption news. Some pointed straight to another Irish golfer’s approach to workload. Harrington, 54, is in the middle of an eight-tournament stretch this summer across the Champions Tour and the majors. He’s been open about why he keeps such a heavy schedule, telling reporters he won’t regret playing an extra event when he’s 70. But that has worked as a sharp contrast to Rory McIlroy.

Another fan commented, “Better enjoy it. As little time as he’s spent on-course, it’ll be a while till he grabs another one of those.”

Rory McIlroy has won just once this year at the Masters, although he came close at a second major at the U.S. Open in June, but he finished two shots off the lead on Saturday at Shinnecock Hills. He also skipped the RBC Canadian Open to prepare for Shinnecock Hills well in advance, and fans have taken note, as they called him out on his performance.

The third commenter drew a sharp line between obligation and leisure.

“No time to play golf, which is his job, and gets a waiver because of ‘extenuating circumstances,’ but has time to go to a tennis match.”

The Tour’s handbook cites medical reasons as a reason for exemption, but fans keep circling back to the events McIlroy has skipped despite being in good health.

Another fan asked about the choice of clothes, “I thought you could only wear it at the club, and they kept them all there?”

It’s a recurring question among fans; however, the reigning Masters champion is allowed to take the green jacket off Augusta National’s grounds for a full year while they hold the title.

“So he can’t play the required number of PGA Tour events, but he can attend Wimbledon? WTF,” Another fan tied threads together.

McIlroy still has the Genesis Scottish Open, the Open, and three FedEx Cup playoff events to reach 14 starts. Whether that number satisfies fans is a separate question from whether it satisfies the Tour.