Rory McIlroy has been labelled "immature" over his refusal to speak to the media after his final round at the US PGA Championship.
The Hollywood native finished eighth at the second major of the season after a final round 68, which left him on two under par for the tournament.
Following his round, McIlroy quickly collected his belongings from the locker room and headed to his car without doing any interviews with waiting reporters.
Shane Lowry defended his Olympic teammate after McIlroy's inconsistency was criticised by a number of golf fans and commentators over the weekend.
The Offaly man said: "The armchair golfers don't realise how hard it is out here. It's not as easy as shooting 65 in the first round.
"I saw a quote from him from last week. I don't know when it was from, on how he hasn't won a major since 2014 but he has pretty much done everything else you have to do in the world of golf.
"So it's not like he's in a slump. It's almost like you're a victim of your own success.
"People expected him to win 10 majors when he won those four and it just hasn't worked out like that. But he's only 33 now and he still got a long way to go in his career."
But a leading American golf journalist believes it was "immature" for McIlroy not to speak to the media.
Michael Bamberger wrote in an article for Golf Digest: "It’s immature for a player of his stature. He can do as he pleases, of course, and McIlroy almost always does talk, certainly in good times but very often in bad too. But on Sunday, at a major that you’ve won twice, where you can give insight into where you are with your game and what the players still playing will face? As the Nike marketing department has been saying for years, Just do it."
Despite the criticism of McIlroy, Ladbrokes make him just a 6/1 chance to win another major this summer.
Nicola McGeady from the firm said: "Rory McIlroy may have extended his winless streak at Southern Hills but there is no doubting his ability and another Major is surely on the cards. At 6/1, we certainly aren’t writing off his chances of a fifth Major title before the summer is out."
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