Second-ranked Rory McIlroy ended his silence after major golf rounds on Saturday at the US Open, opening up about feeling flat after a historic Masters win and earning the right to avoid post-golf talks.
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McIlroy had not spoken with the media for six consecutive major golf rounds until he stopped to talk following a four-over-par 74 in the third round of the US Open at Oakmont that left him on 10-over 220.
"It's not out of the ordinary. I've done it before. I'm just doing it a little more often," McIlroy said of the silent treatment to reporters.
"I feel like I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do, yeah."
McIlroy admitted that part of why he played better down the stretch on Friday in a fight to make the cut was that he didn't care if he played the weekend or not at formidable Oakmont.
"It's much easier being on the cut line when you don't really care if you're here for the weekend or not," McIlroy admitted.
"I was sort of thinking, do I really want two more days here or not? So it makes it easier to play better when you're in that mindset."
His mindset has been an issue since his epic effort in April to win the Masters and complete a career Grand Slam, a major goal he has yet to recover from in some ways.
"I have felt a little flat on the golf course afterwards," McIlroy said. "You don't really know how it's going to affect you. You don't know how you're going to react."
McIlroy had not spoken after a major round since an emotional session at Augusta National after the Masters, in part he says due to the leaking of his driver failing a rules test just before last month's PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
Also irksome was that top-ranked Scottie Scheffler's failed driver test remained private until the American chose to reveal it after winning the PGA.
FRUSTRATION
"It's more a frustration with you guys," McIlroy told reporters.
"I'm just, yeah, I don't know, I've been totally available for the last few years, and I'm not saying, maybe not you guys, but maybe more just the whole thing (is frustrating).
Asked about the driver leak, McIlroy said, "I mean, that was a part of it. Yeah, that was a part of it."
McIlroy said his silence after years of being the main speaker and face of the US PGA Tour was not a challenge to rules that don't require players talk after rounds, as some US sports leagues have.
"No, I'm not daring them to do anything. I hope they don't change it because it's a nice luxury to have," McIlroy said. "But I'm just pointing out the fact that we have the ability to do it."
McIlroy struggled with his driver at the PGA and missed the cut at last week's US PGA Canadian Open, with driver woes a major factor. That, at least, McIlroy appears to have solved with a comfortable driver.
"I've driven the ball better," he said. "I've driven the ball as good as I have in a long time, so that's at least a positive this week."
McIlroy said he didn't feel horrible about his play at Oakmont despite two 74s and a 72.
"I actually feel like I've played OK this week," he said. "It's a sort of golf course where the tiniest mistakes get penalised a lot and that's sort of how it has felt this week.
