Nicklaus surprised McIlroy skipped the Memorial

DUBLIN, Ohio -- Jack Nicklaus said Tuesday helium was amazed Rory McIlroy decided to skip the Memorial for the archetypal clip since 2017 and that helium hasn't spoken to him since McIlroy won the Masters to implicit the vocation Grand Slam.

Nicklaus was abbreviated with his answers connected McIlroy, not wanting to marque his lack a bigger woody astatine the tourney that is celebrating its 50th year.

"I truly don't cognize wherefore Rory didn't speech to me," Nicklaus said. "I can't reply that question. There's thing I tin answer. I cognize helium has to marque a docket that works for him and what helium has to do. And I understand, due to the fact that I had to bash the aforesaid thing.

"We conscionable weren't included this year."

McIlroy is playing the RBC Canadian Open adjacent week up of the U.S. Open. He had played the Memorial and Canadian Open backmost to backmost each twelvemonth since 2021.

Adding to the astonishment was their relationship. McIlroy is simply a subordinate astatine Nicklaus' location people The Bear's Club successful Jupiter, Florida, and helium sought retired Nicklaus up of the Masters to inquire questions connected however to play Augusta National.

Nicklaus has not spoken to him since then, but helium did constitute up a missive of congratulations, arsenic helium does for each large champions.

When a PGA Tour icon is the tourney host, players with a past of playing the lawsuit often volition telephone up of clip if they determine to skip it. Rickie Fowler erstwhile drove to Orlando, Florida, to person luncheon with Arnold Palmer and explicate wherefore helium couldn't play Bay Hill.

Asked if it would person been protocol for McIlroy to person called him, Nicklaus enactment up his hands.

"I americium not throwing Rory nether the bus," helium said. "I similar Rory excessively much. He's a bully kid. He's played immoderate large golf. He's had a batch of things that person happened to him. He's got to marque his ain telephone connected things. Could helium person done them differently? Probably. But that's each right. I could astir apt person done immoderate of excavation differently, too.

"I'm not complaining astir Rory."

McIlroy has not spoken publically since the eve of the PGA Championship. He turned down media requests aft each 4 rounds astatine Quail Hollow.

McIlroy won the Canadian Open successful 2019. It was canceled successful 2020 due to the fact that of the COVID-19 pandemic, and McIlroy won it again erstwhile helium returned successful 2022.

"I haven't talked to him for him to archer maine wherefore oregon wherefore not. It's conscionable his call," Nicklaus said. "I made a batch of calls that I had to marque -- erstwhile I played -- to play oregon not play, and sometimes it wasn't arsenic fashionable arsenic radical thought it was. But sometimes you person to marque those calls. I don't clasp thing against Rory for that.

"I'm a large Rory fan. I ever person been. I'm definite that I volition stay that way," helium said. "I conscionable ... I was a small surprised, yes."