Is golf putting so bad? Rory McIlroy averages

Given all the turmoil in the technical arenas between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, there has been a lot of bad things to happen in the last few years. But is it guaranteed?

Rory McIlroy says no.

In an interview with Kyle Porter on Porter's digital news site “Normal Sport,” McIlroy and Porter discussed a range of topics, from the best players McIlroy faced as a kid to how being a father helped McIlroy break bad rounds.

The conversation also turned to what question McIlroy would like to ask the golf media.

“There are certain people in the game who would say – how can I put this? We are in this together, right?” McIlroy told Porter. “We're all in this together in the game of golf, and we all want to push forward. And I always wonder why some people in the media ask negative questions about golf, or make golf look bad or misrepresent it. I get it. I find that it is human nature and negativity sells. And that's why CNN is the way it is, and why Fox News is the way it is and all that stuff. But if we're all in this together and we all know we can benefit from elevating the game, some people in the media I'd like to ask why their coverage of golf is so bad.”

When it comes to individual criticism, however, like McIlroy's tough US Open loss earlier this year, he says he understands.

“If someone messes up and you have to criticize someone,” he told Porter. “I think that's part of it. I think I, more than anyone, understand that and know that. I don't mean to criticize the players. I say it's critical of the whole game of golf.”

McIlroy noted that the recreational game is booming, and said he wished those issues could be improved.

“I think it has a lot to do with the broadcast of… I think it's true, but the viewers are going down, and this is bad, and that's bad, and they hate the fans, and they hate this,” McIlroy said. “I understand where they're coming from, but surely it's in everyone's interest to focus on the good programs of the game where recreational golf has never been better, there are more opportunities to play the game. Just things like that. Sometimes I wonder what is their motive for sometimes being so bad.”

Given McIlroy's high profile in the game – not only as one of the best players in the world, but also, more recently, as the Tour's defacto spokesman – the pressure seems to always be on delivering high-quality games over clear policy analysis. It's a big question, and a burden that won't ease anytime soon, at least not until there's concrete unity between LIV, PIF and the PGA Tour.

You can read Porter's full interview with McIlroy here.

Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia's first varsity golf class, Jessica knows how to outrun everyone on the golf course. He can pass them through the office, too, where he is primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF's first Style Issue, which began in February 2018. His first interview series, “A Round With,” released in November 2015, and appeared in both magazine and video form on GOLF.com.