Rory McIlroy avoids media after rule violation found at PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy has been forced to replace his driver ahead of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, with the piece of equipment deemed non-conforming by the USGA
Ahead of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, Rory McIlroy was unexpectedly required to replace his trusty driver. Fresh from achieving the career Grand Slam with his win at the Masters in Augusta National last month, McIlroy's performance this week has been somewhat lackluster, sitting at one-over-par.
However, even before the tournament began, McIlroy faced a setback. According to Sirius XM, the USGA deemed his driver non-conforming, forcing the Northern Irishman to remove one of his most reliable clubs from the bag.
The specific issue with the driver remains unclear, but thorough checks confirmed McIlroy could no longer use it. Providing more insight into the USGA's testing process, Johnson Wagner explained on the radio station: "The USGA conducts these tests pretty much every here out here.
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"They test all aspects of the face, and drivers fail all the time. Every single week, someone's driver fails. It is by no fault of the player, they don't know how to do it, it is a sophisticated testing system. When you are a player like Rory McIlroy, who hits the ball as hard as he does, the face naturally thins out."
"Rory McIlroy with his speed, it thins out a little quicker, and it is unfortunate it happened the week of a major."
McIlroy has yet to make a statement on the swap, having chosen to skip press obligations once more after his second round ended. Normally celebrated as one of the PGA Tour's most skilled drivers, McIlroy's tee game has been less than stellar.
After an opening round three-over 74, the two-time PGA champion managed to hit just four fairways and barely improved with two additional fairways hit on day two. Amidst his troubles on the drive, McIlroy still showed signs of improvement as he shot a two-under 69, securing his place for weekend play.
For the Masters winner, the start was promising, going three-under to even out his score for the competition. The latter half of the course proved challenging, with a mix of gains and setbacks—three birdies undone by four bogeys, particularly on the last two holes.
The finish left McIlroy with a bitter taste, leaving him nine shots adrift of halfway leader Jhonattan Vegas. Despite the setback, McIlroy might seek comfort in his past at the Charlotte course, where he astonishingly overturned a similar gap to clinch his first PGA Tour victory at Quail Hollow back in 2010.
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He's celebrated victory four times at this course throughout his career, and expressed his affection for the venue ahead of the tournament. "[It's] always nice to come back to Quail Hollow, for obvious reasons," he shared with journalists earlier in the week.
"I have obviously great memories from this place. First win on the PGA Tour 15 years ago. Winning last year, I probably played my best golf of the year here, especially at the weekend. Look, it's been an amazing 2025. There's been a lot of great golf played, but there's still a lot of golf left to play this year."
