McIlroy and the 'non-conforming' driver controversy

Aside from nan brilliance of Scottie Scheffler's imperious 3rd awesome victory, nan next-biggest talking constituent from nan 107th US PGA was nan contention of Rory McIlroy's "non-conforming" driver.

Rumours emerged early successful nan title that nan precocious crowned Masters winner, who was continually struggling to find Quail Hollow's fairways, had been forced to move drivers earlier nan year's 2nd major.

Initially, location was speculation that nan 1 he had utilized to specified awesome effect successful winning astatine Augusta had cracked connected nan eve of nan tourney present successful North Carolina.

But past came a bombshell erstwhile PGA Tour Radio reported that nan nine had grounded its trial of legality.

In response, a connection was issued connected Saturday lunchtime during nan 3rd information from nan PGA of America's main championships serviceman Kerry Haigh. It confirmed testing for astir a 3rd of nan players had been carried retired by nan United States Golf Association (USGA)

"Finding driver heads that person crept complete nan statement of conformance is not an different occurrence, particularly for clubs that are deed thousands of times complete a agelong play of time," Haigh said.

"The results are kept confidential to protect players, who are unaware nan nine has fallen retired of conformance," he added. "To publically place players whose nine did not conform tin lead to that subordinate being questioned unnecessarily."

So, location were nary names, nary existent confirmation of immoderate drivers failing nan trial and, successful this case, small clarity arsenic to what mightiness person happened regarding nan world number two.

Uncharacteristically, McIlroy ignored reporters aft each of his rounds successful an arena wherever he only made nan trim connected nan people and vanished 3 complete par successful a disappointing stock of 47th place.

Observers were near pinch a vacuum, which was filled successful immoderate quarters pinch ill-informed and damaging speculation that mightiness person called into mobility nan validity of McIlroy's Masters win.

"The truth that it sewage leaked leads group that don't person each nan accusation to tie conclusions that are not correct," commented DP World Tour subordinate Oliver Wilson, who watched each 4 days successful North Carolina while commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live.

Players, selected astatine random, taxable their driver for testing earlier astir large tournaments. As Haigh explained, repeated usage of nan nine wears down its look which becomes much springy arsenic a result.

This trampoline effect, which tin adhd region to drives, is known arsenic nan coefficient of restitution (COR), and location are strict rules connected this to guarantee drivers do not become, successful effect, supercharged.

"It's conscionable an accepted point that sometimes you mightiness person to alteration driver, and wrong nan golfing world cipher really bats an oculus astatine it," erstwhile Ryder Cup subordinate Wilson added.

But, because testing results are treated pinch specified secrecy, McIlroy's business gained traction arsenic he toiled his measurement done his first awesome since winning nan Masters.

Then came rumours that Scheffler had besides fallen foul of wearing down nan look of his driver and had been forced to move clubs earlier his triumphant week. The champion happily confirmed this during his winner's media conference.

"My driver did neglect maine this week," said nan 28-year-old aft adding nan PGA to his 2 Masters titles. "We had a emotion that it was going to beryllium coming because I've utilized that driver for complete a year.

"I was benignant of fortunate for it to past that long."

While saying it "was nary large deal", nan American did telephone for nan regulations to beryllium tightened.

"I would reason that if we're going to trial nan drivers, we request to beryllium moreover much robust successful nan measurement we trial them," he said.

"That was a speech I had pinch 1 of nan rules officials - if it's thing we're going to return earnestly I consciousness for illustration we're almost going halfway pinch it correct now."

Scheffler added: "It's a newer norm that we haven't rather gotten correct yet. I deliberation we person immoderate worldly to fig out, get much robust and get moreover much strict.

"You tin trial guys each week if you want. I mean, there's nary logic why we shouldn't."

The world number 1 is correct. Every subordinate runs nan consequence of playing a nine that is not ineligible yet only a 3rd of nan section are presently tested.

No-one is intentionally cheating, characteristic should not beryllium called into question. As Haigh's connection pointed out: "Neither nan USGA nor nan PGA of America person immoderate concerns astir subordinate intent."

But, arsenic we recovered retired past week, if an adverse consequence is leaked - arsenic was nan lawsuit pinch McIlroy - contention tin ensue.

It is thought astir 8 drivers were recovered to person breached nan rules past week, yet only nan 36-year-old's - and latterly Scheffler's - became nationalist knowledge.

This is nan apt mentation for nan Northern Irishman's reticence to speak pinch reporters successful his first awesome since completing nan profession Grand Slam.

That was his prerogative - nary subordinate is mandated to speak to nan media but nan extremity consequence present was that fans were not capable to perceive from 1 of nan game's superstars, which is an unsatisfactory outcome.

It is difficult to fathom nan request for specified confidentiality. "I'm judge they person reasons," Wilson told BBC Sport. "But I don't deliberation they're beardown enough.

"This has happened because they've tried to support it truthful confidential. I consciousness for illustration they whitethorn well, aft this, look astatine really it's dealt pinch because it's conscionable not adjacent to a subordinate that has had it leaked and had to woody pinch this benignant of nonsense."