Brandel Chamblee and Paul McGinley completely disagree after Rory McIlroy’s driver was banned at the PGA Championship, ‘there’s no proof’

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Rory McIlroy fought his way into the weekend at the PGA Championship, having finished his first two rounds on the one-over cut line.

McIlroy won the first major championship of the 2025 season, when he completed the career grand slam at The Masters last month.

But he endured a difficult first round three-over 74 at Quail Hollow before improving with a second round two-under 69.

McIlroy took on the opening rounds alongside Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, with the latter also in his round three pairing.

He is looking to defend his title from the 2024 PGA Championship, while world number one Scheffler is also taking on Quail Hollow this weekend after a strong start.

Brandel Chamblee shares verdict on Rory McIlroy’s PGA Championship driver ban

But it is The Masters champion who has dominated much of the talk in North Carolina, with McIlroy having had his driver banned before the tournament started.

Discussing the issue of the club being deemed non-conforming by the United States Golf Association (USGA), Brandel Chamblee said on Sky Sports Golf: “Well look, I mean this happens you know quite a bit.

READ MORE: What Rory McIlroy did after both his rounds at the PGA Championship is not a good look and golf fans deserve better

“Well, not quite a bit. You just remember a few years ago it was Xander Schauffele at The Open Championship, and his driver failed the test.

“It’s not an indictment of the equipment company or Xander Schauffele. It’s just a mere fact that they’re right up against the edge, they’ve only got so many hits in them. They either crack or they get too thin.

“And speaking of cracking, you go back last year to the US Open when Bryson was on the tee warming up for his final round, the face cracked, and he just replaced it right on the spot and went on and won the US Open.

“So this happens from time to time. And look, you opened the top of the show with a NASCAR reference. They typically change their engines after one or two races in NASCAR.

“I would imagine that that’s a bigger deal than changing a driver, as good as the equipment is these days, they can get it dialled in pretty quickly.”

Paul McGinley and Brandel Chamblee completely disagree about modern golf

The last-minute change would undoubtedly have unsettled McIlroy, who definitely hasn’t been at his best with his driver this week.

The poor weather has also been a factor in many big names struggling, but the Northern Irishman won’t want to make such excuses for his poor form.

READ MORE: Whether Rory McIlroy actually did anything wrong explained after his driver was deemed non-conforming by the USGA

He does, however, still have time to make a late push, although those in and around the top of the pile do look uncatchable by McIlroy at this stage.

McIlroy needs to improve his driving accuracy above all else, with Paul McGinley having also weighed in on the controversy surrounding his late forced change.

“The only comment I’ll make on it is transparency in the game, and if the USGA, as reported, have found that the driver is illegal, well put out a statement accordingly, so that we’re all clear on it and move on.

“And by not doing that and getting ahead of the story… I mean, the rules are a mess. That’s another story, we know that.

“In my view, in terms of where it’s gone with equipment, I don’t like where equipment has gone. I don’t think it plays into… I think it makes the game easier, and I think the bigger hitters with the trampoline effect get a quantifiably bigger increase from the way the rules have gone.

“Because they can bend the face more, and they get more of a spring, and that’s why they hit the ball so much further.”

Interjecting, however, was Chamblee, who disagreed: “But that’s not… there’s no proof of that,” with McGinley replying: “There is proof, and that’s why the faces are so… why are faces so thin then?”

Chamblee responded: “They actually get a little less rebound, and the data shows that, the data does show that. They get a big rebound, but not as much as you think. And it’s not disproportionate, is what I’m saying.”

McGinley concluded: “I mean, the distance they hit it nowadays is disproportionate from what the games and how the courses were designed. And I think it’s a real shame.

“I mean, we’re seeing golf courses… we saw a golf course today, 580-yard uphill 15th and Xander’s hit a driver six iron in there. That’s not good for the game. You can argue all you want, it’s not good for the game in my opinion.”