RORY MCILORY insists he’s “earned the right to do whatever I want to do” after snubbing the press after his first two US Open Rounds.
The Masters champion declined to speak to the world’s media after his first two rounds at Oakmont in an apparent response to the coverage of his use of an illegal driver at last month’s PGA Championship.
The 36-year-old eventually spoke with the press after his four-over 74 round on Saturday and didn’t hold back in his first post-round interview since Augusta.
He said of his brief blackout: “It’s just frustration with you guys [some sections of the media].
“I have been totally available for the past number of years.
“That [driver issue] was a part of it, but at Augusta, I skipped you guys on Thursday.
It’s not out of the ordinary as I’ve done it before, but I am doing it a little more often.
“I feel like I’ve earned the right to do whatever I want to do.”
McIlroy’s form has fallen off a cliff since sealing his career Grand Slam in April.
He looked certain to miss the cut — like defending champion Bryson DeChambeau and plenty of other big names — until he conjured two birdies in the last four holes of his second round.
RORY MCILROY enjoyed a high-profile romance with former tennis world number one Caroline Wozniacki before their split in 2014.
The following year, the golf ace began dating Erica Stoll, who he had first met on the PGA Tour in 2011.
Erica often interacted with players through her role as the PGA’s manager of championship volunteer operations.
She even prevented McIlroy from missing his tee time at the 2012 Ryder Cup after some confusion over the time zone.
The incident began a firm friendship between the pair, four years before their relationship turned romantic.
McIlroy and Erica were spotted on a string of dates in Rochester, New York, in the early days of their relationship.
Just eight months later, the couple got engaged in Paris and walked down the aisle at Ashford Castle in Ireland in 2017.
The pair then welcomed daughter Poppy into the world three years later.
Throughout their time together, McIlroy and Erica have kept their relationship to themselves, with the golfer keen to protect his family from the cameras during filming of Netflix’s Full Swing documentary series.
However, after seven years of marriage, McIlroy filed for divorce from Erica.
The reasons for the divorce were not disclosed, but the Northern Irishman submitted documents to a court in Florida.
However, a few weeks later, performed a U-turn on their decision to divorce.
McIlroy told the outlet: “Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”
And McIlory admitted his lack of motivation is so bad that he would not have worried if he had missed the cut.
He said: “I was thinking, ‘Do I really want two more days here?’. So it makes it easier to play better in that mindset.
“You don’t know how you’re going to react to something like my Masters win — something I’d dreamt about for a long time. And, yeah, I have felt a little flat on the golf course afterwards.
“I actually feel I’ve played OK this week. It’s a golf course where the tiniest mistakes get penalised.”
Given his mindset, it is no surprise McIlroy’s faint US Open hopes vanished with a whimper rather than a roar.
A four-over-par 74 kept the Northern Irishman among the back markers, and in this mood, he will do well to improve on his 47th-place finish at the USPGA a few weeks ago.
At times, it has looked as if McIlroy has been going through the motions since Augusta, especially when he finished 149th out of 153 finishers in the Canadian Open last week.
Sadly, Oakmont has proved another example of McIlroy playing without his usual drive and desire.
It was hard to avoid the suspicion that he set out yesterday knowing he was unlikely to make significant inroads on the nine-shot gap that separated him from 36-hole leader Sam Burns — especially on a front nine that has proved a minefield for the world No 2.
McIlroy played the opening stretch in NINE OVER PAR over the first two days, while shooting three under on the back nine. The front nine is the tougher half — but not that much harder.
I feel like I’ve earned the right to do whatever I want to do.”
Rory McIlory on his brief media blackout
Marc Leishman and Corey Conners, in the groups just behind McIlroy, underlined that fact by both playing the first nine holes in three under yesterday, although both found it much tougher after the turn.
McIlroy needed a fast start to round three to have any chance of a miracle fightback, but a bogey on the third meant he was quickly heading in the wrong direction.
Another shot went at the ninth and even though he finally made his first birdie at the tenth, he gave it straight back by finding a bunker on the 11th.
A rueful shrug of the shoulders was the only reaction when he missed a tiddler for par at the 14th.
And another shot went with a three-putt on the 16th.
The relatively easy 17th, where he demolished the tee marker 24 hours earlier, yielded a second birdie.
Almost inevitably, that shot was handed back at the last, dropping the five-time Major winner to ten over.
Asked what he was hoping for in his final round, McIlroy added: “Hopefully a round in under four and a half hours and get out of here.”
