"Rory McIlroy owes the PGA of America," - Analyst slams 5x major champ for ditching media at PGA Championship 2025

Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy declined interviews after a poor showing at the 2025 PGA Championship. Following the tournament’s conclusion, golf analyst Rex Hoggard stated that the Northern Irish golfer owes the PGA of America.

Currently ranked at No. 2 in the world, McIlroy has won 29 events on the PGA Tour and has claimed five major championship titles. After over a decade-long major drought, he snagged the 2025 Masters Tournament title and became one of the six golfers who have secured a career Grand Slam.

Despite his memorable performance at Augusta National last month, Rory McIlroy stumbled at Quail Hollow Club, eventually finishing at T47. During an episode of The Golf Channel Podcast with Rex and Lav, Hoggard discussed the experienced golfer's performance. He pointed out that the five-time major champion similarly declined to speak to the media during the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

He said (via YouTube):

“He’s right, he doesn’t owe the media anything. However, he owes the fans, and he certainly owes the sponsors something. And I would argue that Rory McIlroy owes the PGA of America something in this,” [43:06]

“He has won their championship, he has won this tournament on this golf course numerous times, and he was the headliner of the field. For all of those reasons, he should’ve stopped,” he added [43:14]

Hoggard introduced the possibility that Rory McIlroy may not have stopped due to reports of his failed driver’s test. However, he pointed out that even if that was the case, he should’ve still had a better response, just like Scottie Scheffler did. He said:

“Scottie Scheffler’s driver was also deemed non-conforming, and his take on it was: it happens.” [43:33]

The golf analyst pointed out that McIlroy should’ve gone ahead of the situation and discussed it with the media because things like that tend to happen. He added that the 29-time PGA Tour winner has now given people a chance to come up with their own narrative, which “is only going to go in a bad direction."

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A look at Rory McIlroy’s performance in the 2025 PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy at the 2025 PGA Championship - Final Round - Source: Imagn

On day one at Quail Hollow Club, Rory McIlroy shot two birdies, three bogeys, and a double bogey on the 16th. He carded three-over 74 and headed into the second round to open with a bogey-free front nine. However, he stumbled again on the back nine with four bogeys in sets of twos to card two-under 69 at the end of the day. He made the cut into the third round.

McIlroy’s moving day was riddled with three bogeys and two birdies. After carding one-over 72 on day three, he opened with a bogey on his first hole on day four. At the end of his final round, he had shot a total of four bogeys and three birdies, carding one-over 72 again.

McIlroy’s total score amounted to three-over 287, and he landed at T47, tied with Cameron Young and Robert MacIntyre.