Rory McIlroy gets called out for "bad long term strategy" by famous golf analyst

Rory McIlroy and his refusal to talk to the media have become one of the talking points in golf. While McIlroy's decision to refuse media requests has received support from some of his loyalists, the 36-year-old golfer has been criticized by most. The ones criticizing Rory also include some of the most popular names in the sport.

One such popular name who called out McIlroy for not speaking to the media is Brandel Chamblee. On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Chamblee said McIlroy's decision not to talk to the media was 'puzzling' and a 'bad long-term strategy.'

Chamblee wrote in response to a tweet:

"In my view, Rory has been the best with the media over the last 15 years, which makes his refusal to talk after his rounds at the last two majors so puzzling. I think he is lithe enough to understand this is a bad long term strategy. Fans are fickle. They are incredibly generous to those who give back to them and vicious to those who turn their backs to them."

You can check what Brandel Chamblee wrote about Rory McIlroy below:

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Further in his tweet, Brandel Chamblee wrote that Rory McIlroy's refusal to speak to the media had "normative implications." He referenced how golfers like Tiger Woods always spoke to the media despite poor rounds because they felt a sense of duty towards those who elevated the game.

To conclude his tweet, Chamblee wrote that he hoped McIlroy would reconsider his position and talk to the media. The golf analyst feels that McIlroy must do this because it sends a message to the young players on the tour who will potentially be in the Northern Irishman's place someday.

Rory McIlroy finally spoke to the media and defended himself after Round 3 at the 2025 US Open

On Saturday, Rory McIlroy played the third round at the 2025 US Open at Oakmont. After this round, many expected McIlroy to refuse media requests. However, McIlroy didn't do that and instead spoke to the reporters present. The 2025 Masters winner had a brief interaction with the media.

In this interaction, McIlroy defended his decision not to talk to reporters. He boldly stated that he had earned the right to do as he pleased. Rory McIlroy said:

“It's more a frustration with you guys… “I feel like I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do."

You can check the tweet below:

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Rory McIlroy choosing to not speak to the media isn't a first-time occurrence. Previously, McIlroy famously chose to refuse media requests at the 2025 PGA Championship. That time McIlroy's refusal came after the driver's gate.

With his statement above after Round 3 at the US Open, McIlroy has sent a clear message to the media and his critics. It will be interesting to see if he speaks to the media after Round 4 at Oakmont CC ends on Thursday.

About the author

Varun is a Golf and WWE journalist for Sportskeeda with over 4 years of work experience in his bag. Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he worked for many sites, including EssentiallySports, FanSided, Khel Now, Get Football, and a few others.

Varun is a fan of golfer Scottie Scheffler due to the latter’s mindset, and he admires Roman Reigns’ ability to keep moving forward in life regardless of any obstacles. As a purist golf fan, he would love to compete at the Masters if given the opportunity, but is also happy with LIV Golf driving more eyeballs towards the sport. If he could go back in time and be a manager for someone in the WWE, it would have been Big Show.

Varun’s mantra for writing factually correct feature articles is thorough verification. Another key element in his writing is staying updated with both sports through the official websites of pro wrestling and Golf. He has had the privilege of interviewing MMA legend Greg Jackson in his career so far.

Varun likes to spend his free time reading or writing poetry and fiction. He also plans to learn and play golf in his spare time.

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Edited by Varun Anand Bhat