Pádraig Harrington looked at Rory McIlroy’s run during the opening round at Quail Hollow and muttered, “Even for Rory, the high that he got – you have to have some comedown.” The “comedown” for Rory McIlroy manifests in a tilted head, slumped and sagging shoulders, and absolute silence from his side. However, for a golfer who has achieved his career Grand Slam, the golf world expects a few things from him, like speaking to the media. Does the Northern Irishman do that? No–and that’s the issue.

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Rory McIlroy’s troubles at Quail Hollow began with a 2-over par in the first round. After shooting a 69 in the second round, he finished the weekend with scores in the 70s. Frustration clearly affected him, as he refused to speak to the media after any of the four rounds, which marked the first time veteran British and Irish reporters remembered him staying silent after completing all rounds of a tournament.

And that’s the issue, as raised by the golf writer, Michael McEwan, who said, “Really poor form for Rory to skip media all four days at the PGA. Other (and, dare I say it, less popular) players get grief for passing after one round. But all four? Not a good look.”  In another post, McEwan said, “They all profit from the world that Tiger (largely) built for them but when it comes to doing the simple things that he seldom missed, like speaking to the media, they all fall well short.” 

Isn’t that the truth? Rory McIlroy is facing a string of poor finishes after his Masters run, along with controversies surrounding his driver. Reports on Tuesday indicated that officials considered his driver non-conforming, and the USGA confirmed they conducted testing this week at the PGA of America’s request. Both McIlroy and his managers declined to comment on the situation.

The discussion about McIlroy’s driver is crucial because of his stats at Quail Hollow. He missed 30 of 56 fairways for the week, finishing last in that category during the first two days and near the bottom over the weekend. His driving issues significantly impacted his performance, leading to only 52 percent of greens hit in regulation.

On Sunday, he nearly hit a hospitality tent on the 16th and came close to the water on the 7th and 17th, ultimately landing in the lake on the drivable 14th. He finished 65th out of 74 players in Strokes Gained: Approach, losing over two strokes, and ranked 69th in proximity. He also lost more than two strokes on the greens in the first round, with his short game serving as the only highlight, as he finished 11th for the week.

You’d think all those numbers would make the Masters winner talk, but that didn’t happen. While we wait for Rory McIlroy to comment on this particular habit of his, here’s a throwback to how Tiger Woods behaved after missing a shot at the 2018 PGA Championship.

Tiger Woods set a solid example at the 2018 PGA Championship

When Tiger Woods played against Brooks Koepka at the 2018 PGA Championship, he was looking for his first major win since the 2008 U.S. Open. His major performances in 2018 until the PGA Championship weren’t amazing either, but he played well, and then did his part in the role by being the hype man the media knew him as.

Tiger Woods’s run at the PGA Championship was exhausting, and it wasn’t just due to the heat. On Sunday, he faced a critical moment on the par-5 17th hole, where he needed an eagle but made a par after slicing his drive into a creek. Frustration got to him, and he slammed his driver into the ground and made a violent swipe toward the left tee marker.

Despite finishing second to Brooks Koepka by two strokes, which extended his major championship drought for at least another eight months, Woods smiled with the fans after the close loss. In fact, Tiger Woods looked fantastic, posed for photos, and answered reporters’ questions with a cheerful attitude. He even high-fived young fans along the yellow ropes. A lesson for future golfers maybe?