One of the most interesting storylines heading into the PGA Championship is what version of Rory McIlroy the golfing world is set to see following his victory at The Masters last month.
Rory McIlroy is making his first appearance in a normal strokeplay event this week at the Truist Championship since winning The Masters in April. Of course, it was one of the most significant moments in the sport’s history as the Northern Irishman became the sixth man to complete the career grand slam.
McIlroy’s reaction to holing the winning putt told its own story. You could almost see the weight of expectation remove itself from the 36-year-old’s shoulders as he collapsed to the ground.
There was a bizarre moment after the final round, with Bryson DeChambeau noting that McIlroy did not talk to him all day after they had been paired together. Some defended DeChambeau, suggesting that the full context meant that the comments made more sense. However, others labelled DeChambeau weak for using that moment to act as if McIlroy should have been friendlier with him.
Rory McIlroy praised after Bryson DeChambeau’s comments at The Masters
DeChambeau would also not defend McIlroy when his actions were criticised by a reporter ahead of LIV Golf Korea. The Crushers captain suggested that he sees himself as an entertainer, hence why he spent so long engaging with the fans at Augusta National.
But Johnson Wagner has now hit back at the comments on how McIlroy conducted himself, telling 5 Clubs that he has taken exactly the right approach.
“If you look at what he’s done since winning, he went to Ireland, he got sick, was still sick playing New Orleans. They ran out of gas at the end, and then going on his tour of New York to the Today Show, he hasn’t had a proper week to just be down. And now he’s going to be defending at the Truist Championship in Philly. A lot of guys don’t like to play the week before a major, and so, to get up for that I think it’s good for him to be playing Truist, because at least he can get out on the golf course and iron out some kinks that maybe came the last three weeks. I fully expect Rory to be locked in and ready to go,” he said.
“It is amazing walking with him in New Orleans. Every time he’s going to step onto a tee from Monday through Sunday at Quail Hollow, people are going to be congratulating him on The Masters. And what he did at The Masters, because they were all doing at The Masters too, ‘we’re rooting for you Rory, we’re rooting for you’, and the work he’s done with Rotella, he’s been able to go to a different mental space. Bryson’s sitting there high-fiving everybody with his arms like this [elbows out with his forearms pointed down], which was the weirdest thing ever, and Rory’s just kind of stone faced looking past them and that’s the way he’s got to be. People don’t need to take it as a slam on them and he doesn’t want to say thank you, because he does. But if he said thank you to everybody, he would never be able to hit a golf shot.”
Surely no question over whether Rory McIlroy or Bryson DeChambeau was more entertaining at The Masters
Of course, DeChambeau is entertaining. It has to be said that one of the greatest days in major championship history came at Pinehurst last year when he saw off McIlroy to win his second US Open title.
However, no-one has taken fans on the same rollercoaster as McIlroy, both over the last 15 years and during those five or so hours in which he tackled the final round at The Masters.
DeChambeau may do more to make the fans feel like they are on the journey with him, but when it comes to entertainment, few things will ever top McIlroy’s performance on Sunday at Augusta.
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