Rory McIlroy has one of the greatest – and easiest – jobs in the world.
So why is one of the best golfers of his generation acting like he hates his job so much?
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Rory McIlroy hasn’t been the same since he won The MastersCredit: Getty
We all have bad days.
McIlroy has had two very bad months in public, and it’s indisputable that the 2025 Masters champion hasn’t been the same since he finally broke his Augusta curse and became one of only six golfers to achieve a career grand slam.
“It’s more frustration with you guys,” McIlroy said at after the third round at Oakmont, following two days of snubbing media duties at the US Open; increasing his divide with media while barely making the cut and eventually finishing tied-for-19th at seven-over par.
He added: “I feel like I’ve earned the right to do whatever I want to do.”
There was a dismissive coldness to those words.
There was also a staggering sense of ‘I’m-better-than-everyone-else entitlement’ for a golfer who has never been close to Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer or legendary names that are revered worldwide.
JJ Spaun truly lived a dream at Oakmont.
McIlroy has been avoiding reality ever since SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio broke the post-Masters news that the 36-year-old from Northern Ireland had been forced to ditch his driver because it was found to be ‘non-conforming’ in random testing.
McIlroy acknowledged frustration about that revelation, which clouded the pure joy that followed his first Green Jacket.
“That was a part of it,” said McIlroy, pausing and closing his eyes for emphasis. “Yeah, that was a part of it.”
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McIlroy gave a combinative interview and had a disappointing tournamentCredit: x@PaulHodowanic
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He finished tied-for-19th at the US Open at OakmontCredit: x@PaulHodowanic
He’s also played poorly since Augusta and is a combined 19-over par in his last three tournaments, which includes 10 rounds following a missed cut at the Canadian Open.
The No. 2-ranked golfer in the world appears to be taking his frustration out on everyone else.
Namely the media that regularly celebrates and praises him, and consistently covers his every move.
Billions of ‘normal,’ working human beings across the globe would love to be treated like McIlroy right now, but they’ll never touch an estimated net worth of $250 million or be able to tease moving into a new mansion in Wentworth.
McIlroy also appears to be confused about which sport he plays.
He’s not a Premier League global superstar. He’s definitely not Patrick Mahomes, LeBron James or Shohei Ohtani.
Rory McIlroy sends message to doubters with record drive – but it nearly hits fans at US Open
Yet all you have to do is watch McIlroy’s super-tense US Open interview to be convinced that the man who just won the Masters is carrying the biggest athletic burden on the planet.
After he finally conquered Augusta.
Nothing about that makes sense – unless McIlroy has convinced himself that he really has ‘earned the right to do whatever I want to do.’
Scottie Scheffler sympathized with McIlroy as a golfer.
“I can only imagine how Rory felt after winning the career grand slam, and it’s not easy to show up every week out here and play well,” Scheffler said.
“This is a very difficult sport. We play very difficult golf courses like this one.”
McIlroy’s former Ryder Cup teammate Lee Westwood exclusively told talkSPORT Breakfast on Monday that he can see where McIlroy is coming from, but “wouldn’t have gone about it quite that way.”
“Part of the issue that Rory probably has — I think the driver issue, where his driver failed the test, I mean that happens a lot,” Westwood said.
talkSPORT verdict
Sean O’Brien, talkSPORT golf correspondent on Sunday:
“The narrative has turned on its head. We thought he would be so much more relaxed, the monkey would be off his back, he could go and play with freedom and add some more majors to his trophy cabinet.
“He’s got Portrush coming up. He holds the course record there. He’s usually pretty good at US Opens. He finishes in the top ten all the time. But it’s the opposite.
“It seems like he’s struggling for motivation. When he does speak to the media – he says he’s reached the top of the mountain and he can barely motivate himself to practice.
“There’s definitely a bee in his bonnet. I’m wary of being too harsh because it seems like something’s going on that we don’t really know about. Paul McGinley, who knows him very well, was alluding to that on the TV coverage – saying this just isn’t Rory. He’s being really moody with the media. He’s going around in a bit of a strop.
“Before the Masters, the reason everyone was so thrilled for him when he got it done was because he’s so likable. He’s so insightful in press conferences and he’s really easy to root for.
“He’s just not himself at the moment and it’s not only in terms of his personality, but in terms of his golf as well.
“He’s completely lost it with the driver since that failed test at the PGA Championship. So it’s strange times for Rory McIlroy.”
“But that was probably the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“I think most sports media is well respected, but it seems like everybody with a social media account now, people believe (they) are experts and a lot of them are not. They’re just somebody that are picking up little bits from here and there and putting it out.
“And by the time they put all that out into social media, a lot of it’s for clickbait and people start believing it’s the truth. And I think that’s probably what’s frustrated Rory more than anything.”
McIlroy should take up his complaints with X, Facebook and Instagram, instead of acting like a spoiled king.
Hopefully someone close to McIlroy can remind him of the power of humility and grace.
He’s better than this.
He’s also living a rare and privileged life, and is one of the most fortunate human beings on the planet — and his four-day-a-week job is to hit a small ball with a long stick.
McIlroy should be inspiring the next generation of young golfers, not wasting his time fighting ghosts.