Rory McIlroy really struggled at the PGA Championship, and everything just seemed to be slightly off for him from the very first minute he stepped onto the property at Quail Hollow.
Now Brandel Chamblee has suggested that the PGA Tour could be forced into making a rule change after McIlroy‘s behaviour during the PGA Championship.
Before the tournament began, McIlroy suggested that the PGA Championship would play no different to regular PGA Tour events at Quail Hollow.
Those comments now look either completely naive or just plain silly. Whilst Quail Hollow undoubtedly wasn’t the most challenging of major venues, the firm greens and soft fairways certainly made for a difficult challenge.
After some strange comments during his press conference on Wednesday, the Northern Irishman’s week continued to go from bad to worse.
McIlroy was forced to change drivers before the start of the PGA Championship, after his club was deemed to be non-conforming by the USGA.
Then he went on to card rounds of 74, 69 and a pair of 72s to finish up at three-over-par for the tournament, in a tie for 47th.
And now there could be some real change afoot in professional golf.
Golf could make rule change after Rory McIlroy’s behaviour at the PGA Championship
Things change very quickly in professional golf.
It was only last month when McIlroy had the world’s press and golf fans swooning over him at every single opportunity.
The Northern Irishman was golf’s golden boy after completing the Grand Slam following his win at The Masters.
However, the narrative seems to have completely shifted this month.
After Scottie Scheffler won the PGA Championship, Chamblee highlighted how the PGA Tour may well be forced into making a change due to McIlroy’s actions at Quail Hollow.
Firstly, Paul McGinley spoke on the matter. He said, “Everybody loses out when Rory doesn’t speak and everybody loses out when Collin Morikawa doesn’t speak and everyone loses out when whoever you want to talk about [doesn’t speak].
“Bryson DeChambeau gave an interview and that was brilliant. It was honest, it was insightful, it was interesting. Why are the players not mandated to do this? Why leave it up to the players?
“Authorities again, showing leadership and saying the NFL players do this, the Premier League players do this. All the teams insist on it. We are in a business. We are competing as a sport against other sports and part of that narrative is to hear what the players have to say.“
And then Chamblee weighed in on the debate by saying, “It would not surprise me if that is forthcoming with the SSG. I think it would be a great idea.
“I think we blur the distinction here. It’s not talking to the media. It is talking to the world of golf. We are just the conduit to that. It’s not that they are obligated to talk, and this is I think what hit the ear so hard with Collin Morikawa’s comments. It’s not the media, it’s the world of golf that tunes in and watches and buys the product of the sponsors which pay their salaries. It is the world of golf. So when they don’t talk they are not talking, not to us, but to the world of golf.
“You’re right, I don’t know anybody who doesn’t pull for or love Rory McIlroy and think that he gives the most insightful and thoughtful answers in the world of golf and there is no question he could have put this to bed if he would have spoken.“
Why Rory McIlroy let everyone down at the PGA Championship
Firstly, it’s worth highlighting how he didn’t let anyone down with his poor scores.
It was what he did after his time on the course that was so disappointing.
Failing to speak to the media after all four rounds at Quail Hollow was an exceptionally poor move from McIlroy.
The question has to be asked, would he have done the same, had he carded four rounds in the 60s? I believe the answer is almost certainly no.
He owes it to his fans, especially the younger generation, to speak after his rounds, even more so after he has played poorly.
Golf is a game underlined by integrity and honour and unfortunately, we didn’t see much of those two qualities from McIlroy at the PGA Championship last week.
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