Rory McIlroy’s decision to skip the Memorial Tournament has been the talk of the town in the days leading up to the event. This decision has raised eyebrows for many reasons, including the fact that the tournament is hosted by the legendary Jack Nicklaus.
Who better than the 18-time major champion himself to discuss what McIlroy’s absence means to him as the organizer of the tournament? During his regular pre-event press conference, Nicklaus addressed the issue and downplayed the Northern Irishman’s absence in the field.
“Yeah, it surprised me,” Nicklaus acknowledged. “But, you know, guys have got schedules and got things they do. And, you know, I haven’t talked to him for him to tell me why or why not.”
“It’s just his call. I made a lot of calls that I had to make when I played to play or not play, and sometimes it wasn’t as popular as people thought it was. But, you know, sometimes you have to make those calls.”
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Nicklaus also shared his thoughts on why McIlroy chose not to play at Muirfield and expressed understanding of the situation.
“I don’t hold anything against Rory for that. He did what he likes to play. I know he likes to play so many in a row. He likes to play the week before a U.S. Open. And so he, that’s what he’s doing.”
“So, you know, I really don’t have a comment on it. It’s very difficult, very difficult. I mean, I’m a big Rory fan, I always have been. I’m sure that I will remain that way. I just, I was a little surprised, yes.”
The six-time Masters Tournament winner wasn’t the only one surprised by McIlroy’s decision.
He didn’t play the previous week, the Memorial Tournament is a Signature Event with one of the highest payouts on tour, and is also hosted by Nicklaus, all elements considered more than enough reason for the Northern Irishman not to miss Muirfield.
This was also surprising because the Memorial Tournament has been a regular stop on McIlroy’s schedule. The five-time major champion has played in 13 Memorial Tournaments, achieving five top-10 finishes, with his best result being fourth place in 2016. He didn’t miss a single edition from 2018 to 2024.
It’s also impossible not to notice that McIlroy hasn’t spoken to the press since his driver was controversially declared non-conforming in the days leading up to the PGA Championship two weeks ago. He was expected to address the issue at Muirfield.
Several days ago, McIlroy announced that he would skip the Memorial Tournament and instead attend next week’s RBC Canadian Open. That event, which will take place at TPC Toronto, is the final PGA Tour stop before the U.S. Open, the third major of the season.
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