McIlroy 'Stuck in Neutral' at Open, Slams DeChambeau
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- Rory McIlroy finished the Open Championship at 1-under par at Royal Birkdale, saying he was "stuck in neutral for most of the week" and "couldn't get it going" after bogeys killed any momentum.
- McIlroy acknowledged his driving was strong but his approach play and putting fell short, leaving him outside the top 30 in each of his last two majors after winning the Masters in April.
- McIlroy confirmed competing week-in, week-out on the PGA Tour no longer "gets his juices flowing," saying he came to that decision last year and now prioritizes other things, including time with daughter Poppy and wife Erica.
- McIlroy said he hadn't yet celebrated his April Masters triumph and plans to spend his break enjoying the summer holidays with his family rather than chasing more events.
- McIlroy criticized Bryson DeChambeau as "performative" after DeChambeau was penalized two shots for trampling long grass near his ball, calling the penalty "pretty obvious" and saying he was "not particularly fond of" the American.
- McIlroy cheekily endorsed the idea of DeChambeau playing the Irish Open in September, saying his presence "would be great for the tournament."
- McIlroy, a six-time major winner and world No. 2, noted the season "feels very similar to last season," when he won the Masters and "fell off a little bit after that."
Why it matters: A world No. 2 publicly admitting the weekly PGA Tour grind no longer motivates him — and pointing to family over tournaments — is a notable mindset shift from one of golf's biggest stars, while his pointed "performative" criticism of DeChambeau adds a personal edge to their rivalry heading into the Irish Open in September.
