Many of the best players in the world are in Scotland this week for the Scottish Open, which serves as a tune-up of sorts for players on a links course ahead of next week’s Open Championship. That will be contested at Royal Portrush, where Shane Lowry won in 2019, and it is effectively the home course in the rota for Rory McIlroy as the only one in Northern Ireland.
After a lackluster showing in the two majors since his Masters triumph to complete the grand slam, McIlroy noted that winning that green jacket felt like climbing Mount Everest, and he’d been struggling a bit to find that same motivation and focus. However, he called the Open at Portrush the next mountain for him to climb and seems to be ramping up for a crack at a second Open win, this time in his home country.
Ahead of the Scottish Open, McIlroy discussed the importance of major championship venues and how they can apply additional internal pressure and motivation for the best players — and took a swipe at the PGA of America’s new flagship course in the process.
“If venues in golf matter to you, it maybe puts a little bit more pressure on you,” McIlroy said. “So, I’d love to win an Open at Portrush, absolutely. I’d love to win an Open at St. Andrews. I’d love to win a U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. I’d love to win a PGA at PGA Frisco — not [laughs]. But there’s venues in the game that mean a little bit more — Frisco might get there one day, who knows.”
While the PGA of America probably didn’t share the same laughter as everyone in the press room at Rory’s jab, it’s the truth of how we discuss the majors and the hierarchy of the courses in the rotation at each one. The Masters doesn’t have that problem by returning to Augusta National every year, but the other three all have high and low points in the rotation that do matter to some fans and players.
A major championship win anywhere is an incredible achievement, but a storied venue can make them feel a bit more meaningful and add to the weight of the moment. McIlroy knows that all too well. He stalled out on Sunday under the pressure he put on himself at the 150th Open at St. Andrews, watching as Cam Smith stormed past him for the win.
Adding new courses to the rotation is a challenge in that they lack the history that creates an aura about a course, and the PGA will be fighting that uphill battle with players and golf fans with the addition of their new home course, PGA Frisco. It’s debut for Women’s PGA Championship was met with some criticism from players, and you can add Rory to the list of those skeptical of it’s stature as a major championship test.
The funniest outcome from all of this would be McIlroy winning at PGA Frisco in 2027 after making these comments.