PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan has thrown his support behind Rory McIlroy after the Northern Irishman decided not to play for three weeks after the US Open.
At the height of the feud with LIV Golf, Rory McIlroy once argued the world’s best players had gone a little soft.
McIlroy was making the case for the signature PGA Tour events which, at the time, the best players were expected to play or miss out on bonus money.
The Northern Irishman argued that if he was willing to play nearly every week then so should others.
Not for the first time, McIlroy’s comments have now come back to bite him.
After making that statement in 2023, McIlroy skipped the RBC Heritage after a dismal missed cut at the Masters.
And now, after his US Open collapse, he’s decided to skip the designated Travelers Championship and will be back in action at the Scottish Open.
Perhaps we should have more sympathy for the Ulsterman after he endured likely his most heart-breaking major loss. Perhaps not.
One person who felt for McIlroy was the PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan.
A reporter asked the commissioner during his news conference yesterday: “Have you spoken to Rory since he decided to step away from the game and how is he doing if you have?”
Monahan said he had spoken to McIlroy. “I’ve gone back and forth on texts with Rory,” he said.
“And he’s — listen, I think his statement said exactly what he’s feeling and so, listen, as it relates to him, to him not being here, I mean, I think, you know, for all of us and for you guys, you know, in your job, you oftentimes, as we sit here, you have to think about what it is that you need, and I think there are certain times when you’re playing the game at this high level — and Xander said it exceedingly well yesterday, sometimes you just need to focus on what you need.
“And that’s what he’s doing and that’s exactly what he should be doing because that’s what he thinks is the right path.”
Monahan was referring to Schauffele’s comments whereby the American golfer explained it must be harder for McIlroy because the microscope is always on him.
The 54-year-old added: “But I would say that, listen, we’re at a signature event, you look at the quality of the field that we have this week, we’re going to have a great Travelers Championship and looking forward to getting Rory back in Scotland.”
McIlroy has also attracted sympathy from his Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm.
Rahm is back in action this week at LIV Golf Nashville despite still struggling with some soreness in his right foot.
Rahm said had McIlroy missed on the high side after taking a left centre line the likelihood was that his TP5x would’ve rolled off the green.
Not everyone has sympathy for McIlroy, though.
Tiger Woods’s former coach Hank Haney reckoned had McIlroy had a stronger caddie on the bag then his fate would’ve been far different.
Haney’s take on McIlroy received a mixed response, to say the least.
