A career Grand Slam hasn\u2019t ended the controversies around Rory McIlroy.<\/p>\n
The recent Masters champ is not playing in the Memorial this week and it did not reach out to Jack Nicklaus \u2014 who founded the tournament and is the face of the event \u2014 to let him know that he would be skipping it.<\/p>\n
Nicklaus said Tuesday he was surprised McIlroy was not in the field for the first time since 2017 and that he hasn\u2019t spoken to him since McIlroy won the green jacket to complete the career Grand Slam.<\/p>\n
Jack Nicklaus speaks to reporters ahead of the Memorial on May 27, 2025. Getty Images<\/p>\n
Nicklaus was short with his answers on McIlroy, not wanting to make his absence a bigger deal at the tournament celebrating its 50th year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really don\u2019t know why Rory didn\u2019t talk to me,\u201d Nicklaus said. \u201cI can\u2019t answer that question. There\u2019s nothing I can answer. I know he has to make a schedule that works for him and what he has to do. And I understand, because I had to do the same thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just weren\u2019t included this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Others were not as understanding that Nicklaus did not get the courtesy of a call.<\/p>\n
\u201cRory not calling Jack to tell him he\u2019s not playing Memorial is not it. 5 mins would\u2019ve gone a long way,\u201d golf reporter Dan Rapaport wrote on X.<\/a><\/p>\n McIlroy is playing the RBC Canadian Open next week ahead of the U.S. Open. He had played the Memorial and Canadian Open back to back every year since 2021.<\/p>\n Adding to the surprise was their relationship. McIlroy is a member at Nicklaus\u2019 home course The Bear\u2019s Club in Jupiter, Florida, and he sought out Nicklaus ahead of the Masters to ask questions on how to play Augusta National.<\/p>\n Rory McIlroy during the PGA Championship. Getty Images<\/p>\n Nicklaus has not spoken to him since then, but he did write up a letter of congratulations, as he does for all major champions.<\/p>\n When a PGA Tour icon is the tournament host, players with a history of playing the event often will call ahead of time if they decide to skip it. Rickie Fowler once drove to Orlando, Florida, to have lunch with Arnold Palmer and explain why he couldn\u2019t play Bay Hill.<\/p>\n After Jack Nicklaus giving Rory McIlroy time pre Masters to help guide him on how best to play Augusta National, Rory is not only skipping his event, but also didn\u2019t give him the courtesy of a phone call to let him know\u2026 <\/p>\n\n