Rory McIlroy explains media silence after driver ban

TORONTO - Masters champion Rory McIlroy has explained his media silence during the PGA Championship admitting that he was unhappy at the way the news of his driver disqualification was leaked.

The Northern Irishman was forced to change his driver after an inspection by the US Golf Association found it was non-conforming.

World number one Scottie Scheffler later revealed that he too had been forced to change his driver for a similar reason, but McIlroy was upset that only his issue had become public on the eve of the season’s second major in May.

“I was a little p****d 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,” said the world number two, who skipped media duties throughout the entire week.

“I didn’t want to get up there and say something that I regretted...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,” added McIlroy, speaking ahead of this week’s RBC Canadian Open in Ontario.

McIlroy, who finished tied for 47th at three over for the tournament, also said that there were other factors behind his unwillingness to face reporters.

‘A weird week’

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