"Rory McIlroy wanting preferential treatment?" - Fans react to 5x major champ’s frustration over shot clock at Irish Open

Due to slow play concerns, Rory McIlroy’s group was put on the clock during the first round of the 2025 Amgen Irish Open. The Northern Irish golfer expressed his frustration over the incident, and fans online have reacted to his statements.

Following his first round at The K Club, McIlroy said he got “frustrated” because he felt rushed over his last few holes. He shared that the officials should’ve given his group more leeway because they had to wait on crowds and camera crews, which was bound to affect their pace of play.

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🚨⏰😒 #NOT HAPPY — Rory McIlroy says common sense was in short supply after his group was put on the clock during round 1 of the Irish Open at the K Club: “I got frustrated the last few holes because I felt a bit rushed...We got put on the clock pretty early and then the first

Fans online reacted to the Grand Slam winner’s frustrations, with some suggesting that he was seeking preferential treatment over other players. One fan wrote,

“Rory wanting preferential treatment?! Strike me down with a feather!”

Another user commented,

“Wow, he’s always flapping his gums about something. He really has become sickening. Wonder how the guys who actually play the DPWT feel about him?”

“McIlroy needs to grow up someday. Mature. What a cry baby,” another user added.

On the other hand, one user empathized with Rory McIlroy, but pointed out that he should’ve addressed the issue behind closed doors instead of bringing it to the press.

“It's a valid point but he should probably address it internally and not make it public,” the user wrote.

In the same vein, another user who supported McIlroy commented,

“Golf is a game of patience, not a race.⛳ Funny how the players are on the clock, but the officials seem to have all the time in the world…”

One user suggested that the Tour needs to enforce time limits on rounds to improve slow play. The user wrote,

“Every Tour needs to implement time limits on the round so players play with a sense of urgency instead of waiting for the wind to change directions.”

Fans react to Rory McIlroy's frustrations at the Amgen Irish Open

Rory McIlroy struggled through his opening round at The K Club and scored 1-under 71 after 18 holes. Five strokes behind the lead, he landed in a tie for 50th with Brooks Koepka, Tom McKibbin, and 10 other golfers.

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“I’ve done everything I wanted to,” - Rory McIlroy speaks on how the 2025 golf season changed his career

During a press conference ahead of the Amgen Irish Open, Rory McIlroy was asked to describe how 2025 has been in his words. The Grand Slam winner tagged it as the year that “everything came together” for him. He said that he had finally finished the last piece of the puzzle by winning the Masters.

“When I look at my career and my whole picture as a golfer, I basically, I've done everything I wanted to. I guess everything after that, it's a bonus, but you have to reassess your goals,” he said.

Rory McIlroy won the Masters Tournament in April and is now a career Grand Slam winner. A five-time major champion, he has won 29 PGA Tour events and 19 events on the DP World Tour.