Rory McIlroy says he felt like Charley Hoffman’s recent letter to PGA Tour membership “seemed like it was pointed” towards him.
Hoffman followed up a letter from Justin Thomas by calling on his fellow players to improve pace of play while giving his view on the Aon Swing 5 as well as a perceived lack of commitment to the PGA Tour.
It was the final point that McIlroy felt was aimed his way, with Hoffman specifically mentioning players who are playing fewer PGA Tour events while competing in TGL and DP World Tour tournaments.
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Rory McIlroy fits the bill in all three categories, with the World No.3 set to play fewer PGA Tour events this year while playing in the TGL and continuing to support the DP World Tour.
“Many of you keep saying you want to play fewer events, yet you still find time for TGL, Race to Dubai, and other non-PGA Tour events, and that’s going to continue regardless of field size,” Hoffman wrote.
“The best competition happens when the best players go head-to-head in a deep, competitive field — not in small, limited-entry events that leave deserving players on the outside looking in.”
In response to the letter, after being asked by reporters at his most recent TGL match for Boston Common Golf, McIlroy said that Hoffman was essentially criticizing his own product as the PGA Tour has financial investments in both the TGL and DP World Tour.
“I think the thing he forgot to mention is the PGA Tour owns 20% of TGL, so he’s criticizing his own product,” McIlroy said.
“They also own a good chunk of European Tour Productions, so again – I thought some of the elements of the letter were fine, addressed some issues. He was criticizing the Aon Swing 5. He was sixth in that.
“He talks about having it be for the good of the Tour, but he’s also talking about himself, as well. I thought a couple of them were pointed at me a little bit because TGL, Race to Dubai, non-PGA Tour events like the Showdown that Scottie and I did in December, I’ve been vocal about not wanting to play quite as much so it seemed like it was pointed at me.
“Look, what every player has to do is look out for themselves. We have to do what’s best for our own individual careers, and yes, at the back of our mind try to do whatever we can to help the Tour, but I think the best way for any of us to help the Tour is to tee it up and play as best we can.”
Hoffman acknowledged that pace of play was an issue on the PGA Tour in his letter and called on his fellow players to make “a concerted effort to speed up.”
McIlroy thinks that a shot clock, as used successfully in TGL, would help but admitted that it would be difficult to put into practice due to the size of the properties that golf courses occupy.
“Look, if you could somehow implement the shot clock in some way and be able to police it consistently, I think that would be a really cool thing,” he said.
“Much easier to do in this controlled environment compared to a golf course that spans 100 or 200 acres.”
Slow play has been a big issue on the circuit so far this year, particularly at the AmEx and Farmers Insurance Open. Six-time PGA Tour winner Lucas Glover is another pro to have recently had his say, with the 2009 US Open champion calling for the AimPoint putting method to be banned in a long list of ways to fix pace of play.
