'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAME/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgX/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAN0yGf/EACAQAQAAAwkAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMAAQUCBxMXIUJSktL/2gAIAQEAAT8AW4+kYcxN6gRrtstpGSdM4l1n6j//xAAZEQABBQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBEL/2gAIAQIBAT8AdYlTR//EABURAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR/9oACAEDAQE/AI//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The recent courses at the PGA Tour event have been rather disappointing for several of the players and the audience, and Rory McIlroy has not shied away from expressing his opinion.
After the Los Angeles Country Club course at the 123rd US Open saw golfers set several records easily, hopes for a harder course were high at the Travelers Championship.
However, the course was quite easy to navigate. Keegan Bradley not only won the Championship but also set an all-time course record of -23 with ease. Rory McIlroy said that perhaps technology had gotten the best of the TPC River Highlands course, therefore not even presenting a challenge to many golfers.
The response to Rory McIlroy was immediate. Andy Bessette, Vice President of the Travelers Championship, said that McIlroy's comments had already been taken into consideration and that changes were being made.
Speaking to ESPN, Bessette said:
"We take all the feedback we get very seriously. I can tell you that changes are already in the works. We strive for this to be a top-notch event, and we will do everything we can to improve it every year."
Bessette even reached out to more PGA Tour players to ask about any specific changes that they would like to see and came up with '10 specific suggestions' that quite possibly might be implemented at the TPC River Highlands.
Rory McIlroy not impressed by 2023 TPC River Highlands Course
Rory McIlroy finished the Travelers Championship with a score of -18 and tied for seventh place. After the tournament, he went on to call the par 70 course rather obsolete and in need of change.
He said:
"I don't particularly like when a tournament is like this. Unfortunately technology has passed this course by, right? It sort of has made it obsolete, especially as soft as it has been with a little bit of rain that we had."
This also led to the discussion of the golf ball rollback rule that might be implemented in the future. The rule will cause the ball to 'roll back' around 15 yards shorter than what the pros are currently hitting.
While most of the industry is against the rule, if the courses are this easy to navigate, McIlroy says that the rule could be the only answer.
He stated:
"So, again, like the conversations going back to, you know, limiting the golf ball and stuff like that, when we come to courses like this they just don't present the challenge that they used to."
