OAKMONT, Pa. — For the first time in seven major championship rounds, Rory McIlroy addressed the media afterwards, and he’d apparently been saving up for a while.
“It’s more a frustration with you guys,” he said after shooting a four-over 74 on Saturday, before softening his stance.
“Yeah, I don’t know,” he added. “I have, I’ve been totally available for the last few years, and I’m not saying — maybe not you guys, but maybe more just the whole thing.”
It remains a peculiar stance from a player who has enjoyed overwhelmingly positive media coverage over the years, and a man who was undoubtedly the toast of the town following his career grand slam winning Masters victory in April.
But it didn’t surprise everyone, as our pre-tournament armchair pyschology in these pages predicted McIlroy’s true feelings almost to a tee. Speaking with him at the RBC Canadian Open last week, we had a very strong opinion that McIlroy feels like, for everything he’s done for the game, he’s earned the right to pull back his public persona.
Tuesday’s column said: “Inside some of his recent comments there also is a common thread that he feels he has earned the right to turn off public Rory. That for all that he has given the game, and in some respect the media, everyone should understand if he doesn’t want to talk after rounds four days in a row.”
On Saturday at Oakmont Rory basically read from our pages.
“I feel like I’ve earned the right to do whatever I want to do,” he said.
On the golf course this week, it doesn’t seem as though McIlroy is overly thrilled with the stern — and very long and slow — test Oakmont is providing. The Northern Irish star was asked what he’s hoping for in Sunday’s final round, which he’ll begin at 10-over par.
“Hopefully a round in under four and a half hours and get out of here,” he said.
Going back to his Friday’s battle with the cutline, McIlroy said it wasn’t very stressful, and his reasoning was quite surprising.
“It’s funny, like it’s much easier being on the cut line when you don’t really care if you’re here for the weekend or not,” he said with a laugh “I was sort of thinking, do I really want two more days here or not. So it makes it easier to play better when you’re in that mindset.”
As for the positives, McIlroy said he is happy with his driver after quite an adventure with his best weapon since being forced to switch clubs ahead of the PGA Championship.
“I’ve driven the ball better,” he said. “I’ve driven the ball as good as I have in a long time, so that’s at least a positive this week.”
McIlroy mentioned once again an overall lack of motivation following his historic Masters win as being part of his recent struggles.
“I was hoping to play better but I didn’t,” he said. “You don’t know how you’re going to react to such a, I wouldn’t say a life-altering occasion, but at least something that I’ve dreamt about for a long time. Yeah, I alluded to the fact that I have felt a little flat on the golf course afterwards.”
It was a more combative Rory McIlroy that finally spoke after a major round, but it sounds like the golf world might have to get used to it.
