Rory McIlroy defends decision to skip media sessions at PGA Championship - ESPN

Rory McIlroy defended his decision not to speak to the media after each of his four rounds at last month's PGA Championship, saying Wednesday that he was upset about news leaking that his driver had been declared nonconforming in pretournament testing during what was already a «weird week.»

McIlroy, who became the sixth golfer to complete the career Grand Slam by capturing a green jacket at the Masters, declined to talk to reporters each day while tying for 47th at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.

During the second round, Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio reported that McIlroy's driver had been deemed nonconforming in testing earlier in the week by the United States Golf Association and he couldn't use it during the tournament.

The PGA of America later confirmed that it had asked the USGA to conduct testing at Quail Hollow, and about 50 players had their drivers inspected. The testing results were supposed to remain confidential.

World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler's driver was also ruled nonconforming before he won his third major championship with a five-stroke victory at Quail Hollow.

«I was a little pissed off because I knew that Scottie's driver had failed on Monday, but my name was the one that was leaked,» McIlroy said during a news conference ahead of this week's RBC Canadian Open at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. «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 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."

Scheffler acknowledged that his