Paige Spiranac comes to Rory McIlroy's defense amid his strife with media

Rory McIlroy’s dealings with the media drew a effect from play influencer Paige Spiranac arsenic the Northern Irishman’s pursuit of different large rubric deed a large snag astatine the U.S. Open.

McIlroy decided to skip his media appearances pursuing the archetypal 2 rounds of the major tournament astatine Oakmont Country Club successful Pennsylvania. He told reporters aft his 3rd circular connected Saturday that helium had decided to skip the quality owed to "frustration" with "the full thing."

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Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, reacts aft missing a putt connected the eighth spread during the 3rd circular of the U.S. Open play tourney astatine Oakmont Country Club connected Saturday, June 14, 2025, successful Oakmont, Pa.  (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

He’s besides had a fewer brutal moments connected the people arsenic well. But arsenic helium raised eyebrows with his comments, Spiranac came to his defense.

"Might beryllium an unpopular sentiment present but helium doesn’t person to speech to the media if helium doesn’t privation to. It’s not required," she wrote connected X. "And wherefore would helium erstwhile everyone is ever analyzing and criticizing his each move. 

"There is intelligibly thing much going connected nary of america are privy to, truthful possibly let’s not each heap on."

Paige Spiranac warms up connected the driving scope anterior to circuit title astatine East Lake Golf Club connected August 28, 2024, successful Atlanta, Georgia. (Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty Images)

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McIlroy besides reminded reporters helium skipped reporters aft the archetypal circular of the Masters arsenic good and present was conscionable "doing it a small much often."

He entered the last circular successful the mediate of the standings and would person needed a occurrence to drawback leaders Sam Burns, Adam Scott and J.J. Spaun.

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, stands connected the 11th greenish aft putting successful during the last circular of the U.S. Open play tourney astatine Oakmont Country Club connected Sunday, June 15, 2025, successful Oakmont, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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McIlroy won the U.S. Open successful 2011. He finished successful 2nd spot successful the past 2 years astatine the U.S. Open and successful the apical 10 successful each of the past six years.

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