Rory McIlroy's radio silence at the US Open has continued, after once again refusing to speak to the media at Los Angeles Country Club following his opening round on Thursday.
McIlroy looked back to his best in round one in LA, after carding an impressive five-under-par 65 to leave him three shots behind early pace setters Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele. Despite the hot start the Northern Irishman was left frustrated on 18.
Sat in the brutal green-side rough on the final hole, McIlroy looked to play a cute flop shot but all went wrong when he completely missed the ball and went right through the thick grass.
Recomposing himself, the four-time major champion played his approach shot at the second attempt before rolling in the putt to come away with a bogey. After then signing off his card, McIlroy quickly bolted passed the waiting press and into the clubhouse.
It was reported that the Northern Irishman was required to provide a post-round drugs test, but failed to reappear afterwards. This is not the first time the former US Open champion has opted to skip his media duties, after turning down a press conference on Tuesday.
His absence comes on the back of the news last week that saw the PGA Tour and LIV Golf end their bitter feud by signing a merger agreement. McIlroy himself had played a huge rule in defending the Tour, whilst taking aim at LIV over the past 12 months.
But it seems the Northern Irishman's role as public spokesperson is now over, amid an unprecedented week in the world of golf. When quizzed on the agreement at last week's RBC Canadian Open McIlroy admitted he felt like the Tour's 'sacrificial lamb' having gone out of his way to defend Jay Monahan and co.
He said: "It’s hard for me to not sit up here and feel somewhat like a sacrificial lamb and feeling like I’ve put myself out there and this is what happens... Removing myself from the situation, I see how this is better for the game of golf, there’s no denying it.”
It remains unknown as to how the PGA Tour and LIV will function under the new agreement, with many players who made the Saudi switch to the rebel league no doubt keen to have their Tour suspensions revoked to make a return. McIlroy however as not ready to welcome them back.
"There still has to be consequences to actions," the Northern Irishman went on. "The people that left the PGA Tour irreparably harmed this tour, started litigation against it. We can’t just welcome them back in. That’s not going to happen.”
