How do you celebrate the first major event in your home country in six years? Maybe have a celebration with close friends and family. Or pay homage to your country in some patriotic fashion. Or if you are more daring, you can go the Rory McIlroy way. The Northern Irish golfer, in preparation for the upcoming Open Championship, got a haircut.
The 5-time Major winner went for a completely generic look, and to add to that, his grey hairs were very visible. The PGA Tour pro seemingly aged several years with this new look, which was in full display for the public at the Genesis Scottish Open, his first Tournament since the Travelers Championship, where he finished T6. His haircut will be a key talking point during the European leg of the Tour, but it does not come close to some wacky haircuts on the PGA Tour.
Australian golfer Cameron Smith made quite a scene at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with his unfortunate hairdo. The mullet was courtesy of his barber, who was coincidentally named Lee Trevino by his father, after the 29-time PGA Tour winner.“I’ve been lucky enough to work with a number of PGA Tour players, and they’re all great guys. And Cam, oh my gosh, he’s just a great all-around dude. I’ve been really lucky to cut his mullet.” Trevino explained after gaining notoriety for Smith’s haircut
McIlroy getting a haircut is not something new, but the way he went about it did raise some serious questions on social media. The haircut looked out of place, a far cry from the young and energetic golfer he seemingly portrayed. Fans were unafraid to call the Northern Irishman for his devastating hairdo in his homestretch, with no mercy shown on social media.
Fans react to Rory McIlroy’s look
“Did he do it himself,” asked one curious fan, hinting at the fact that the cut looked unpolished and not done by a professional. “Aged 15 years,” commented another fan who was clearly surprised by the reveal at the Renaissance Club. A haircut is not new for the Career Grand Slam winner. McIlroy did go for a fresh new look with celebrity barber William Hernandez ahead of the 2025 Masters. That turned out to be a lucky charm for him as he claimed victory at the Augusta National Golf Course and thereby completed the most coveted set of trophies in men’s golf.
But, that did not deter fans from calling out the supposedly horrendous haircut. The cut felt very amateurish, which prompted one fan to say that it was probably McIlroy’s daughter who did it for him. “Poppys work.” Poppy McIlroy is Rory McIlroy’s three-year-old daughter, who is no stranger to the golf course and golfing fans. During the 3-par contest at the 2025 Masters, Poppy made a brilliant putt at the ninth hole at Augusta, prompting cheers from the patrons. However, it is unlikely that the young girl had any say in this hairdo.
This is exactly opposite to the haircut the 2025 Masters Champion had during his early golfing years in 2009. That had more matter on his head, but was equally deplorable according to fans. Pairing it up with tartans for the 2009 Scottish Open did not help much either. The rough, unkempt look faded, and McIlroy’s style did improve, but this would be something he would want to revisit, possibly before the upcoming Open Championship. One fan wanted to know if it was changeable at the same barber, stating, “Did he keep the receipt?”. Another fan saw the lighter side of the endeavour, tweeting, “When’s he getting it finished?”
What do you think of the Northern Irish golfer’s haircut for the European leg of the PGA Tour? Do you think, similar to the Masters, it would prove to be a lucky charm for him?
