Rome , Italy - 27 September 2023; Rory McIlroy of Europe during a press conference before the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
During his press conference on Wednesday, Rory McIlroy made it clear that a “subset” of his peers had blocked his attempt to rejoin the PGA Tour Policy board. His nonverbal cues said it all.
During his press conference on Wednesday, Rory McIlroy confirmed he will not be rejoining the PGA Tour Policy Board. Although he did not say much, his body language conveyed a lot about his mentality.
After leaving the policy board in November, McIlroy was expected to make an unexpected comeback to the top table of the tour, with Webb Simpson pleading for the Northern Irishman to replace him. With merger talks dragging on, the policy board—which consists of six player directors and the tour’s executives—is leading the negotiations with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), a sponsor of LIV Golf.
However, McIlroy disclosed on Wednesday that his attempt to rejoin was turned down and that a “subset” of the player-directors were not eager for him to come back. The four-time major champion avoided giving names, but according to Golf Digest, he was referring to Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay, and longtime friend Tiger Woods, whose friendship has soured as a result of divergent views on the direction of the professional game.
The fact that McIlroy opted to step down from the policy board the previous year probably contributed to the players’ hesitancy to come back. McIlroy stated at the time that he wanted to put his game and his personal life first because his time serving as the de facto spokesperson for the tour during the dispute with LIV Golf was wearing thin.
When he attempted to negotiate his return to the policy board, McIlroy acknowledged that things became “complicated and messy.” He continued, saying that “the way it happened opened up some wounds and scar tissue from things that have happened before.” Additionally, I believe that for some reason, a portion of the board felt uneasy about me returning.
At his press conference on Wednesday, the 35-year-old cut the figure of a man not giving the whole story, body language expert Judi James told Mirror Sport. She stated: “McIlroy appears to have produced a range of contradictory signals and signs of emotional suppression here, despite his seeming attempt to be tactful and carefully choose his words.
“At the beginning, when he says, ‘It got messy,’ he makes his largest gesture: he spends a considerable amount of time, eight rubs total, rubbing his right eye with his finger for no apparent reason.
“This gesture could be made for a number of reasons. Rubbing his eyes is a common sign of sleepiness in kids, so it’s possible he’s trying to act relaxed or that he’s just tired of the conversation. However, animals often use distraction to their advantage when they have their sights set on a meal. When they are about to attack, they frequently pause to lick or scratch themselves to give the impression that they have been spared and forgotten. Alternatively, there may be a partial eye cut, indicating that he is reluctant to express his innermost thoughts too candidly.”
James claims that the brief smirk McIlroy displayed was telling. She gave the following explanation: “He makes eye contact with the interviewer when he talks about “old wounds” and “scar tissue,” which causes him to smile wryly and pull up one side of his mouth and cheek, suggesting he is understating the situation. After that, he looks down and makes a mouth clamp gesture to convey regret. He then adds a tutt and smacks his lips together.
“When he talks about the board, he seems to be trying to make light of things by frowning and shrugging one shoulder, but when he mentions that they might be “uncomfortable with me coming back on,” he squints one eye in a motion akin to “taking aim.”
“As he talks about “the best course of action,” there’s another sardonic smile, but he quickly closes his mouth and makes a move that looks like he’s holding back emotions. He falters as he starts to say, “I’m happy,” and his eyes are cut off for a long time—another attempt to conceal or shield his true emotions.”
When McIlroy takes the field on Thursday at Quail Hollow for the Wells Fargo Championship, he hopes to set aside the drama that has occurred off the course. In 2010, McIlroy won his first-ever PGA Tour event on this course in North Carolina. Two weeks ago, he shared the win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Shane Lowry. In anticipation of the PGA Championship at Valhalla next week—the location of McIlroy’s most recent major championship victory—he hopes a strong showing will maintain his momentum.
