Rory McIlroy addresses media blackout and driver controversy: "I was p---ed off"

Rory McIlroy has revealed he did not want to say anything he regretted as he finally addressed his recent media blackout and offered his thoughts on the driver controversy that overshadowed his PGA Championship week. 

McIlroy, 36, hit the headlines on day one of the second men's major of the year when it was revealed he was forced into a late driver switch on the eve of the major. 

Golf's rule makers, the USGA, had informed the five-time major winner his TaylorMade Qi10 was deemed non-conforming as the face had become 'too springy'. 

McIlroy - who routinely failed to find the fairways in North Carolina - made the cut on the number at Quail Hollow but did not mount a challenge for the Wanamaker Trophy.

He also decided not speak to media at all after each round. The silence was notable and unusual for his character.

McIlroy told reporters ahead of this week's RBC Canadian Open he was annoyed two members of the media leaked the news. 

He was also aware the eventual winner, Scottie Scheffler, was also asked to change his driver and was a bit miffed it was only his name that was leaked. 

"The PGA was a bit of a weird week," McIlroy said. "I didn't play well. I didn't play well the first day, so I wanted to go practice, so that was fine.

"[On the] second day we finished late. I wanted to go back and see [daughter] Poppy before she went to bed. The driver news broke. I didn't really want to speak on that."

McIlroy was supposed to see off at 8.20am on the Saturday but play was delayed due to inclement weather. 

It meant he did not tee off until 2pm. Hot mics picked up how he felt about that. 

"[It was] another late finish, was just tired, wanted to go home," McIlroy said.

"Then Sunday, I just wanted to get on the plane and go back to Florida."

He added: "Yeah, look, and also the driver stuff, there was -- I was a little p---ed off because I knew that Scottie's driver had failed on Monday, but my name was the one that was leaked. 

"It was supposed to stay confidential. Two members of the media were the ones that leaked it.

"Again, I didn't want to get up there and say something that I regretted, either, because there's a lot of people that -- I'm trying to protect Scottie. I don't want to mention his name. 

"I'm trying to protect TaylorMade. I'm trying to protect the USGA, PGA of America, myself.

"I just didn't want to get up there and say something that I regretted at the time.

"With Scottie's stuff, that's not my information to share. I knew that that had happened, but that's not on me to share that, and I felt that process is supposed to be kept confidential, and it wasn't for whatever reason. 

"That's why I was pretty annoyed at that."

McIlroy's silence led to a debate over whether professional golfers should be obligated to speak to the media. 

Collin Morikawa rubbed Golf Channel's lead analyst Brandel Chamblee the wrong way when the American snubbed reporters after his near miss at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. 

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McIlroy's European Ryder Cup teammate, Shane Lowry, has also called for change in players' media responsibilities.

Lowry wants golfers to have a cooling off period before speaking to press, particularly if they have had a disappointing result. 

The reigning Masters champion said it's a 'two-way street'. 

"From a responsibility standpoint, look, I understand, but if we all wanted to, we could all bypass you guys and we could just go on this and we could go on social media and we could talk about our round and do it our own way," he said. 

"We understand that that's not ideal for you guys and there's a bigger dynamic at play here, and I talk to you guys and I talk to the media a lot. 

"I think there should be an understanding that this is a two-way street, and as much as we need to speak to you guys, we're sort of -- like we understand the benefit that comes from you being here and giving us the platform and everything else. So I understand that.

"But again, I've been beating this drum for a long time. If they want to make it mandatory, that's fine, but in our rules it says that it's not, and until the day that that's maybe written into the regulations, you're going to have guys skip from time to time, and that's well within our rights."