Rory McIlroy opted against taking on the latest PGA Tour event of 2025, with Aldrich Potgieter winning the Rocket Classic.
World number five Collin Morikawa was the highest-ranked player at the Rocket Classic, which took place at Detroit Golf Club.
Ryder Cup captain and recent PGA Tour winner Keegan Bradley was also involved, but there were no appearances from the likes of McIlroy or world number one Scottie Scheffler.
But it was still an entertaining and dramatic affair to say the least, with Potgieter outlasting Max Greyserman and Chris Kirk in a three-way playoff.
The trio all finished their four rounds on 22-under, before the 20-year-old finally emerged victorious after five playoff holes.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty ImagesRory McIlroy shown up on PGA Tour despite not playing Rocket Classic
The youngest South African to win on the PGA Tour deserves the spotlight for his success, but Greyserman and Kirk also deserve huge praise for their actions in the immediate aftermath.
It may seem simple and customary, but the two runners-up both spoke to the press after losing the playoff to Potgieter.
They deserve credit for their displays at Detroit Golf Club, but further praise is needed for their decisions to answer questions despite clearly being left heartbroken by their near miss.
Not only do their actions reflect very well on their characters, but they also reflect poorly on five-time major champion McIlroy.
The Northern Irishman has stolen many headlines on the PGA Tour this season, most notably after completing the career grand slam at The Masters.
But he’s also come under fire on several occasions in recent times for failing to speak to the media at various tournaments.
McIlroy has been frustrated with the media, with such frustrations having often led him to completely ignore any requests to talk about his game upon leaving the course.
But many of his fellow PGA Tour players are showing him up by going the other direction, with Tommy Fleetwood having spoken to the media despite his Travelers Championship heartache last week.
Greyserman and Kirk have now done the same, which isn’t a good look for the Northern Irishman, made even worse by the fact he didn’t even play at this week’s event.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty ImagesWhy Rory McIlroy could cut an entirely different figure at The Open Championship
The actions of other PGA Tour players may just inspire McIlroy to change his approach, with plenty of eyes set to be on The Masters champion at the Scottish Open later this month.
The Renaissance Club represents his final chance to get his game and seemingly his head right for a trip home the following week, with history on his side there thanks to his 2023 Scottish Open win.
Royal Portrush then plays host to The Open Championship, where a more relaxed McIlroy should be on display in front of his home fans, particularly if he can again impress in Scotland.
He will enjoy more support than any other player at the major championship, which should help him cut a less frustrated figure than the one that was on display at the likes of the US Open.
McIlroy has epitomised the roller-coaster nature of golf and indeed top-level sport in general, having been on top of the world at Augusta National earlier this season.
But the wins and impressive performances were sporadic shortly after, although the 29-time PGA Tour winner did manage a T6 finish at the Travelers Championship on his most recent start.
Whether his constant battle with the media has impacted his displays is unknown, but it does seem that there is a bit of frustration in his head at this moment in time.
Still, with three wins this season, the world number two remains one of the most formidable forces in world golf.