Rory McIlroy stood firm on his decision to skip media availabilities during the PGA Championship. Citing his frustration over the leak of his driver issue to the public, Rory said, “I was a little p—– off because I knew that Scottie [Scheffler’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.” McIlroy’s annoyance stemmed from the authorities’ failure to keep the information confidential, and he felt that he was protecting not just himself, but also Scottie Scheffler, TaylorMade, the USGA, and the PGA of America.

“I didn’t want to get up there and say something that I regretted, either, because I’m trying to protect Scottie,” McIlroy explained. “I felt that process is supposed to be kept confidential, and it wasn’t, for whatever reason. That’s why I was pretty annoyed at that.” McIlroy’s frustration raises questions about the relationship between golfers and the authorities, and whether the leak constitutes a breach of trust, and it seems like the USGA is aware of this.

Speaking at the latest press conference at the US Open Championship, Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA, addressed concerns about transparency in driver testing. A question was raised about whether the USGA has considered publishing test results, similar to Formula 1’s approach to rule violations. Whan explained that the USGA tests for “characteristic time creep” (CT creep), which measures how long the ball stays on the face of the driver.

“Think about a kid jumping on a trampoline, and the longer they’re on the trampoline, the farther they bounce off,” Whan said, illustrating the concept. The USGA sets a limit of 258 microseconds, and drivers that exceed this limit are considered out of tolerance. Whan’s explanation highlights the technical nuances of driver testing, but the real question is whether the current approach is sufficient.

Whan emphasized that the USGA conducts random testing as a service to players and manufacturers. “If I’m being honest with you, I think in terms of what happened at the PGA Championship, it made us more committed to not wanting to have this be the topic of the town,” Whan said, referencing the controversy surrounding driver testing.

“I think when you talk about a rules violation or somebody playing with a hot driver, that gets so much more sensational than the reality,” he added. Whan also noted that the USGA’s testing is designed to catch drivers that are “just literally creep over the line,” rather than those that are significantly non-compliant. “We aren’t seeing, when we’re taking drivers off, drivers that are, ‘Oh, my gosh, look where that one went,’” he said. The tension around the whole controversy is so bad that the Irishman is sweating before the third major of the season.

Rory McIlroy says he ‘can’t relax this week’

Rory McIlroy is gearing up for the 125th US Open at Oakmont, a course notorious for its brutal rough and punishing conditions. McIlroy knows that Oakmont will be a challenge, saying, “This place won’t let you do that. You’ve got to chop your ball out and then just try to make a par with a wedge in your hand. It’s much, much more penal if you do miss.” He’s been working to regain his form, including switching back to his trusty TaylorMade Qi10 driver after struggling with the Qi35 model. “What did I learn? I learnt that I wasn’t using the right driver,” McIlroy said, highlighting the importance of finding the right equipment.

Despite the challenges ahead, McIlroy is hopeful that he can find his form and make a strong challenge at Oakmont. “You have to enjoy what you’ve just accomplished, but at some point, you have to realize that there’s more golf left to play this season,” he said. With a tough course layout and his recent struggles with driving, McIlroy knows he can’t relax. “Here at Oakmont, I certainly can’t relax this week,” he admitted. Will McIlroy’s determination and recent equipment changes be enough to help him overcome the challenges of Oakmont and make a deep run in the US Open? Let us know in the comment section below!