
via Imago
Image Credits: IMAGO

via Imago
Image Credits: IMAGO
Rory McIlroy’s stance on the media has been consistent: as long as the PGA Tour doesn’t mandate media speaking, and “we [the Tour pros] have that option to opt out whenever we want, expect guys to do that from time to time.” His silence during the recent PGA Championship drama was more concerning than surprising. The longer he stayed quiet, the more speculation grew about controversies, including his “non-conforming” driver failing USGA testing and his performance since the Masters. Three weeks after the PGA Championship, the Northern Irishman finally addressed the media, claiming he was trying to “protect” Scottie Scheffler during the latter’s driver drama.
Following discussions about Rory McIlroy being forced to change his driver for failing a test, Scottie Scheffler admitted that his driver also failed testing ahead of the PGA Championship. The World No. 1 did not reveal the reason on Sunday, but it is assumed to be related to CT (Characteristic Time), which measures the spring-like effect of the face. However, Scheffler had the privilege to announce it himself, something that Rory McIlroy wasn’t given after “two members of the media were the ones that leaked it [the test results].”
Currently active at the RBC Canadian Open, Rory McIlroy explained his four-day silence as the result of a “weird week.” After a disappointing first round with a 3-over 74, he finished late on Friday, and his third-round tee time was delayed by about six hours due to bad weather. He continued, “Then Sunday, I just wanted to get on the plane and go back to Florida. Yeah, look, and also the driver stuff, there was — I was a little pissed off because I knew that Scottie’s driver had failed on Monday, but my name was the one that was leaked. It was supposed to stay confidential. Two members of the media were the ones that leaked it.”
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Undoubtedly, what happened to Rory McIlroy was uncommon, so his media silence makes more sense, given his explanation. However, given the gravity of the situation, McIlroy also didn’t want to say something “that I regretted, either, because there’s a lot of people that — I’m trying to protect Scottie. I don’t want to mention his name. I’m trying to protect TaylorMade. I’m trying to protect the USGA, PGA of America, myself. I just didn’t want to get up there and say something that I regretted at the time.”
Two days before the tournament, the world number two had his club taken from his bag after testing showed it exceeded the limit for the “trampoline effect.” Typically, such failures are kept confidential, but the news leaked on Friday evening. Frustrated by the leak, McIlroy sought solace elsewhere, missing the last two weeks of PGA Tour events to travel with caddie Harry Diamond to watch Manchester United lose to Tottenham in the Europa League Final and unexpectedly skipping last week’s Memorial in Ohio.
Never give up on your dreams. Keep coming back. Keep working hard. pic.twitter.com/YFIWrvAnUZ
— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) April 16, 2025
However, about the media interaction, McIlroy seemed consistent once again and said, “If they want to make it mandatory, that’s fine. But our rules state that it’s not, and until that’s written into the regulations, you’re going to have guys skip from time to time, and that’s well within our rights.” As frustrating as the issue Rory McIlroy faced was, it isn’t the first time a Tour player’s name has been leaked after a failed driver test.
What’s your perspective on:
Did Rory McIlroy do the right thing by staying silent to protect Scottie Scheffler?
Have an interesting take?
That one time, Xander Schauffele’s driver did not pass the COR test
During the 2019 British Open, a significant incident occurred involving driver tests conducted by the R&A, which governs the rules of golf. The organization randomly tested 30 drivers to ensure compliance with the regulations set by both the R&A and the USGA. Out of these, four drivers were found to be non-conforming, meaning they exhibited a “hot” performance, capable of hitting the ball farther than the established limits. The core issue revolves around the spring-like effect of metal-faced clubs, formally known as the Coefficient of Restitution (COR). This measure assesses whether a club imparts excessive energy back into the ball at the moment of contact.
One notable player affected by this controversy was Xander Schauffele. His Callaway driver was tested and subsequently taken out of play by the R&A. Schauffele expressed frustration that his name was leaked in connection with the incident, while the identities of the other players with non-conforming clubs remained undisclosed. After a round of 6-under-par 65 at Royal Portrush, Schauffele stated, “I had some equipment issues earlier with the R&A and what not,” and confirmed, “They tested my driver. Yeah, and it didn’t pass.”
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This situation brought attention to the continuing discussion surrounding equipment regulations in golf, especially the COR limit, which has been established at 0.822 for metal woods since 1998, allowing for a tolerance of 0.008. Drivers that exceed 0.830 are deemed non-conforming, regardless of whether wear and tear on the clubface affects their performance. Hopefully, the Tour pros won’t have to deal with another leak again.
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Did Rory McIlroy do the right thing by staying silent to protect Scottie Scheffler?