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Rory McIlroy isn’t part of the field at this week’s Signature event, the Memorial Tournament — a surprising and disappointing development. Still, tournament founder and host Jack Nicklaus was gracious in addressing McIlroy’s first absence from the event since 2017.
“I’m not going to throw Rory under the bus, I like Roy too much, he's a good kid. He's played some great golf. … He's got to make his own calls on things. Could he have done them differently, probably, but that's all right, I probably could have done some of mine differently, too. So, I'm not complaining about Rory,” said Nicklaus while addressing the media.
Nicklaus acknowledged he was somewhat caught off guard by McIlroy’s choice to sit out the event, especially after recently completing the career Grand Slam. What surprised him even more was the lack of communication, as McIlroy didn’t notify him about his decision to skip the tournament.
The 36-year-old chose to skip the Memorial Tournament and instead, he plans to compete in next week’s RBC Canadian Open before heading to Oakmont, just outside Pittsburgh, for the US Open.
Jack Nicklaus helped Rory McIlroy with his Grand Slam
McIlroy’s decision to sit out this week’s $20 million signature event caught many off guard, particularly because it’s hosted by Jack Nicklaus. Earlier in the year, Nicklaus—who owns six Masters titles—met with McIlroy to share insights on how to handle Augusta National.
That meeting helped pave the way for McIlroy’s breakthrough win, as he secured his first green jacket in a sudden-death duel against Justin Rose. Considering that connection, it would have been a respectful gesture for McIlroy to personally inform Nicklaus that he planned to miss the Memorial for the first time since 2017.
The Golden Bear understands the demands on McIlroy’s schedule, having faced similar pressures during his own playing days when he was constantly in the spotlight. Nicklaus often made it a point to call tournament organizers himself when he couldn’t attend an event.
“Guys have got schedules and got things they do. And I haven't talked to him for him to tell me why or why not. It's just his call [on the decision]. I don't hold anything against Rory for that. He did what he likes to play. I know he likes to play so many in a row. He likes to play the week before a US Open. And so that's what he's doing. So, I really don't have a comment on it. It's very difficult, very difficult. I mean, I'm a big Rory fan, I always have been. I'm sure that I will remain that way,” Nicklaus continued.
Nicklaus, much like McIlroy, preferred competing the week before a major. Had McIlroy entered the Memorial, followed by the Canadian Open, it would have meant playing three straight weeks heading into the US Open. While he maintained that schedule from 2022 to 2024, it's clear that such a stretch demands a lot physically and mentally before a major championship.
