Rory McIlroy makes feelings known after more frustration at Open Championship

22 July 2023 , 18:31

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Rory McIlroy refused to speak to the media on day three of The Open (Image: Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy more than made his feelings known after refusing to speak to the media following a frustrating back nine in round three of the Open Championship at Hoylake.

McIlroy headed into the day nine shots back of leader Brian Harman, and knew he needed a quick start to get himself in the mix ahead of Sunday's final round. And a quick start is what he had, after birdieing three of his first five holes on moving day to move right into the discussion at four-under-par.

Meanwhile leader Harman got his round underway, and opened the door to McIlroy and the chasing pack after playing his first four holes in two-over-par to move to eight-under for the tournament.

The Northern Irishman was given the perfect chance to pounce heading to the back nine in his pursuit to end his nine-year wait for a major championship. Things did not go to plan for McIlroy though, as whilst the rain began to fall, his birdies dried up.

After pars at the 10th and 11th, the four-time major winner carded his first bogey of the day at the par four 12th. Still, the world No. 2 still had six holes to play including two par threes and two par fives, on a course where he won the Claret Jug nine years ago.

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Once again though the birdie putts failed to drop, and with every passing hole the frustrations grew and his chances of keeping the pressure on Harman diminished, who unlike McIlroy was starting to roll in his putts, birdieing the fifth, ninth, 13th and 14th.

It was a frustrating day for Rory McIlroy (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, the Northern Irishman went on to par all six of his last holes, and whilst it was far from catastrophic it was well below the 34-year-old's high standards. As he made his way off the 18th green, McIlroy was quick to inform the press he not would be carrying out any media duties.

Instead, he headed straight for the Hoylake putting green, clearly unimpressed with his efforts on the greens. This is not the first time McIlroy has refused to speak to the media at Royal Liverpool this week, having cancelled his pre-championship press conference on Tuesday.

This is the fourth successive event McIlroy has refused to feature in his pre-event press conference having cancelled at the U.S. Open, Travelers Championship and last week's Scottish Open. The decision comes in the wake of the PGA Tour announcing a shock framework agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF).

Joshua Lees