Rory McIlroy is the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am champion! The Irishman made his 2025 PGA Tour debut in California and kicked off the season with a winning start. He was up against a formidable field of Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, and the runner-up; Shane Lowry. In the end, McIlroy was just too consistent to give anyone else a chance.
Even the players on the course were taken aback by the 35-year-old’s confidence. McIlroy aimed for the eagles even when the field slowly pushed for birdies to chase him down. That is what ensured he had a four-stroke lead going into the last three holes of the tournament. After clinching the title, everyone awaited a speech from the winner. But one statement the champ made caught the attention of an insider, and it didn’t sit well with them.
Rory McIlroy questioned by ex-PGA Tour star
During his speech, McIlroy stressed the importance of playing in signature events, as they add value to a player’s portfolio. He mentioned, “It was really special to win at one of the cathedrals of golf”. This is not the first time he has elaborated on the significance of the venue. A few days ago, McIlroy had commented “I think really good venues are a big part of the storyline.” This was with regards to the Pebble Beach Golf Course. Speaking about the events hosted there, he added, “We go to major championships, especially a U.S. Open or an Open Championship. I always feel that the golf course is a big part of the storyline heading into Thursday.”
McIlroy also stated that if the course is not good enough, “it just isn’t that interesting” to play on it. The Irishman’s last comment is what caught the insider’s attention. McIlroy said, “To come back to Pebble Beach time and again and play Spy Glass. It is definitely two of the best that we play all year.” As Charlie Hulme was reading out these statements, Smylie Kaufman interrupted him with “Here’s an argument.” The host of the Smylie Kaufman Show on YouTube said that McIlroy hasn’t played at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am often.
Clarifying that the 27x PGA Tour winner did play last year in the event, Kaufman stated, “But before that, never supported this event.” The famed sports commentator is not wrong. Rory McIlroy has only played the signature event once before this. His other appearances at the Pebble Beach Golf Links have been during his U.S. Open exploits, so if it is one of the best courses out there why didn’t he play if often? Questioned Kauffman.
Speaking of McIlroy participating in signature events, there are a few others that he has also missed. Let’s take a look at them.
Big events where the Irishman was a no-show
One of the biggest tournaments of the PGA Tour calendar is the 2025 season-opening event, The Sentry. Being the starter signature event, it is often considered to be quite prestigious and most of the PGA Tour stars are eager to be a part of it. But that was not the case for Rory McIlroy. The Irish golfer was unavailable for the Tournament of Champions this year. In fact, the last time McIlroy played in the Sentry Tournament of Champions was back in 2019.
That was not the only signature event McIlroy missed in 2024. He had also skipped the Travelers Championship. Apparently, he wanted to take a break from golf after the disappointment of not winning the 2024 U.S. Open. He got incredibly close to capturing the major, only to lose it by 1 stroke in the final round. Interestingly, McIlroy was leading the table before the last 4 holes of the tournament. Unfortunately, he ended up scoring 3 bogeys to drop down to 2nd place and gift the title to Bryson DeChambeau.
So is Smylie Kaufman’s argument of criticizing Rory McIlroy for making such a statement correct? Or did McIlroy not realize the value of playing in such courses where a signature event is held? Share your views in the comments section.
The post Ex-PGA Tour Pro Calls Out Rory McIlroy’s Hypocritical ‘Support’ Amid PGA Tour’s Important Course Debate appeared first on EssentiallySports.
