Dan Patrick on Rory McIlroy Credit: The Dan Patrick Show

While Rory McIlroy did golf media the favor of explaining the silent treatment he’s been giving them the past few years, he also emphasized that he is beholden to no official requirement to do press conferences.

None of it sits right with Dan Patrick, especially so quickly after the entire sports world was on McIlroy’s side at Augusta earlier this year as he chased the career Grand Slam. Patrick believes McIlroy can still be a “golf ambassador” as he was for many years last decade, but each tournament in which he shirks or blasts the media only makes him look worse.

“All of a sudden, did America turn on Rory McIlroy? Everyone wanted him to win the career Grand Slam, he wins at the Masters, then all of a sudden, it’s like, ‘Ahhh, Rory.'” Patrick said Monday on his radio show.

“‘I don’t want to meet with the media.’ He’s evading. Oh, he’s struggling. That happened quickly. It’s like, all of a sudden, you pile on Rory. I still think he’s such a good interview and he cares so much, I wish that he would meet with the media. I know it’s tough to in there and have somebody filet you because you didn’t play well. But look, you won the career Grand Slam. You’re on scholarship. It just feels like there’s so much more going on with Rory McIlroy.”

Patrick hoped McIlroy winning his first Masters would take a weight off his shoulders. Instead, the Northern Irish golfer is still frosty with reporters and the rest of the golf world.

“He held on for dear life to win the Masters. Dear life. It was painful to watch. And now, you kind of thought, ‘Man, that’s lifted. Go out and play,'” Patrick said. “You could pick up the baton and be the Phil Mickelson that Phil Mickelson should have been before he went to LIV. You can be that golf ambassador. Now it feels like (Bryson) DeChambeau wants to be that.”

It’s been a tumultuous few years on and off the course for McIlroy. Beyond chasing history with his Masters win, he also got burned by adamantly defending the PGA for years against LIV Golf defectors, only for the PGA to accept an investment and partnership with LIV.

Still, Patrick believes it’s reasonable to ask McIlroy for 15 minutes after each big tournament. Even if it’s not required and even if he does not enjoy it.

“It goes along with the territory,” Patrick said. “All of these athletes, I think you owe it to the public to speak to the media. How long you speak or what you say, that’s up to you. But I do think that they support you, they’re out there, they’re fans of you, they want to hear. Good and bad. Everybody wins, they want to bring their kids to the press conference. When you lose, you don’t want to be there. I understand that.”

Patrick explained that by constantly avoiding media availabilities, an athlete like McIlroy can make the narrative even worse. The story becomes about their excuses and their attitude rather than the forgettable niceties and non-answers they could spew if they sat for a press conference.

About Brendon Kleen

Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.