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Quail Hollow should have been a victory lap for Rory McIlroy. He was finally unburned by the quest to show he could still be the player he once was, the career Slam had been completed. Freed up from the existential weight, he could attack a course where he’s enjoyed historical success. That was the belief, at least. Instead, a curious performance—both on and off the course—have ushered in new questions.
The reigning Masters champ had a rough week, making the cut on the number and not factoring on the weekend, a three-over 287 that has him outside the top 40. Given McIlroy’s track record at Quail Hollow—highlighted by four career wins at the tour’s annual tour stop—it was unexpected. The surprise was only amplified when contrasted with the rest of McIlroy’s 2025. At the halfway mark he is undoubtedly the Player of the Year favorite, first winning the signature event AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and following it up by capturing the Players Championship for the second time in his career, then turning in a cathartic performance by finally winning the Masters in one of the most dramatic Sundays Augusta National has seen this century. The beast, it seemed, had finally been tamed.
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In itself, bad weeks happen, even for players of McIlroy’s calibre. The case can easily be made that he could be in the hangover stage of completing a pursuit that has weighed him down for so long. That is mere projection, however, because McIlroy never stopped to speak to the media this week after his pre-event presser on Wednesday.
McIlroy has made a habit of failing to stop to talk after rounds the past few years, especially after the surprising framework agreement between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia made McIlroy—who had been the tour’s most vocal defender—feel like a scapegoat of sorts for speaking out. This was most notable after the 2024 U.S. Open, when McIlroy sped off from the Pinehurst parking lot after bogeying the final hole to lose to Bryson DeChambeau by one shot.
And it’s not just peculiar given this was his first major following his Masters win. McIlroy’s driver reportedly failed USGA testing earlier this week, which could explain his driving issues beginning Thursday. However, the USGA and PGA of America do not disclose the testing results, with the PGA of America only acknowledging a third of the field was tested. Failing a test is relatively common and often accidental, and it’s fair to question why the governing bodies put the onus on the player to speak up about their test. Still, McIlroy’s silence only made the matter bigger than it should be.
McIlroy will likely be in action next at the Memorial in two weeks. Perhaps by then, the golf world will get a better idea of what’s going on.
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Main Image: Andy Lyons
