Five big questions Rory McIlroy will (finally) need to answer at RBC Canadian press conference

Rory McIlroy is scheduled to meet with reporters ahead of the RBC Canadian Open on Wednesday in what is being billed as the most eagerly-anticipated press conference for quite some time on the PGA Tour. 

It's fair to say there are plenty of questions McIlroy, 36, will need to address whether he wants to or not. 

From shunning the media in his last start at the PGA and his 'gamer' driver controversy, to refusing an invite to compete in last week's Memorial and not even messaging tournament host Jack Nicklaus to tell him, the golf media and PGA Tour fans would like a few answers. 

And so too would Nicklaus, no doubt. 

Related:

• How to watch and live stream the RBC Canadian Open 
• RBC Canadian Round 1 and Round 2 Tee Times 

GolfMagic has listed five hot topics expected to arise during McIlroy's presser at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Ontario. 

McIlroy is scheduled to speak with the media after his 9-hole Pro-Am on Wednesday morning. 

He tees off at 7.58am ET so it's likely to take place around 10.30am.

That is 3.30pm for UK fans. 

Let's take a closer look at what's in store... 

Why did McIlroy shun the media all four tournament days at the PGA Championship? 

Let's be frank, it's been the main talking point in the world of golf for the last few weeks. 

Why did McIlroy shun all media requests from Thursday through to Sunday at the US PGA?

Was it simply a result of being out of form en route to a T47 finish, or was it due to the fact information was leaked that his 'gamer' driver had failed a latest C.T. test with the USGA? 

He wasn't the only one that failed a driver test that week, so was he unfairly treated? 

McIlroy's 'gamer' driver was deemed 'non-conforming' by the USGA and so he had to switch into a new clubhead just before the action began at Quail Hollow Club.

Or was there another completely different reason why he shunned media requests? 

Did having to replace his 'gamer' driver affect him at all during PGA Championship? Did he use that same driver en route to completing the career grand slam at The Masters? Does he feel happy enough with his new 'gamer' driver to contend at the U.S. Open?

McIlroy's driver story at the PGA Championship would likely not have become much of a story had he just shut it down there and then. 

Scheffler and others did. Why not McIlroy? 

But the story has now become a bigger one given McIlroy's silence the past few weeks. 

The golf world wants to know whether his replacement driver contributed to an indifferent performance off the tee during the PGA Championship, or whether it was just a hangover after completing the career grand slam at The Masters in April.

McIlroy ranked a lowly 36th for strokes-gained off the tee (0.213) and 42nd in strokes-gained tee to green (0.621) during the PGA Championship, usually statistics where he would excel on the major stage. 

While nobody is questioning McIlroy of any foul play where his driver face getting too hot is concerned, a lot of people would like to know whether McIlroy indeed had that 'non-conforming' driver in play during his historic victory at The Masters.

The media will also want to know whether McIlroy is happy enough with his current 'gamer' driver ahead of this week's RBC Canadian Open and next week's U.S. Open? 

What changes, if any, has he made to the big stick ahead of golf's third major of the season? 

Why did McIlroy not call or message Nicklaus about refusing to compete in the Memorial Tournament last week? 

McIlroy's absensce from the Memorial Tournament, the latest Signature Event on the PGA Tour schedule, was a surprise to many. 

Even tournament host and record 18-time major champion Nicklaus admitted that. 

Nicklaus even told the media that McIlroy had not called or text him to let him know he would not be attending his annual event at famed Muirfield Village Golf Club.

It marked the first time since 2017 that the Northern Irishman had bypassed his event. 

Was there any particular reason for snubbing Nicklaus' invite other than he didn't want to play four straight weeks on the PGA Tour? 

Nicklaus, after all, did go out of his way to sit down with McIlroy and listen to him and give him advice on how to win a Green Jacket. 

McIlroy chose to instead play in this week's Canadian Open before heading on to the U.S. Open and the Travelers Championship. 

The World No.2 has already made it clear this year he wants to limit his schedule moving forwards to spend more time with his family and focus his time around the majors. 

McIlroy is a two-time winner of the RBC Canadian Open, albeit his victories came on different courses to this week. 

Aside from not wanting to play four straight weeks in a row, you could argue the stern test presented at Muirfield Village GC will be much more what players can expect at Oakmont for the U.S. Open than at TPC Toronto this week. 

That’s now three of seven Signature Events that McIlroy has missed this season, the most of any high profile PGA Tour player. Does he not care much about the circuit's Signature Event model?

Although players no longer get fined for missing multiple Signature Events on the PGA Tour schedule these days, there is still hope and anticipation by those above and especially headline sponsors that the world's best will be competing in as many of them as possible.

That's why they were created in the first place. 

To many people, McIlroy remains the lead superstar on the PGA Tour alongside runaway World No.1 Scheffler. 

In a day and age where the PGA Tour is doing its utmost to upstage the breakaway LIV Golf League, it's been somewhat disappointing for golf fans to see McIlroy miss out on competing in a trio of Signature Events now. 

However, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan last week defended McIlroy's decision to skip three of the Signature Events, citing 'it's the beauty of our model'. 

Whether Monahan truly believes that is anybody's guess. 

LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson found Monahan's comments hilarious in light of McIlroy's latest absence at a $20m Signature Event. 

The big question is does McIlroy simply not care much about these Signature Events? 

Does he think the PGA Tour's current model needs to be further tweaked? 

Does he even care about the PGA Tour any more now he's no longer sitting on the board? 

McIlroy has at least confirmed he will play in the final Signature Event of the season at the Travelers, the week after the U.S. Open.

What's McIlroy been up to the past two weeks since the PGA? Working hard on his game or chilling with family ahead a Wentworth move? 

We'll end on a more light-hearted note. What's McIlroy been up to the past couple of weeks? 

Has he been working hard on his game or been chilling with wife Erica and daughter Poppy? 

The McIlroys will be able to move in to their new Wentworth mansion after the U.S. Open later this month. 

They aren't expected to permanently move to England just yet, but the plan is for it to happen sometime soon.

No doubt the subject of his Wentworth move will be a hot topic of conversation. 

GolfMagic will bring you all the latest from McIlroy's press conference at the RBC Canadian Open on Wednesday.

Keep it locked. It should be a good one.