Making inflammatory comments is almost an art for Rory McIlroy. Often he doesn’t even try, but the truth is his press conferences are usually gold for the media. His colleagues don’t always see it that way though.
The latest example was the comment he made about the PGA Tour Champions during his meeting with the press before The Players Championship. The Northern Irishman described the prospect of himself playing on the Senior PGA Tour after the age of 50 as “terribly wrong”.
Predictably, the comment has unleashed a number of responses on social media, including from some of his colleagues currently playing on what is colloquially known as the “Champions Tour”.
One of the first to react was Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio and CBS Sports journalist Jason Sobel, who highlighted McIlroy’s ability to upset many people with few words.
“Rory McIlroy clearly in form yesterday, able to trigger both the PGA Tour Champions pros and the YouTubers in the same press conference,” Sobel posted on his X account @JasonSobelGolf.
Another who responded was 4-time PGA Tour winner Bob Estes, who currently plays on the Champions Tour. Estes used his X account to respond to McIlroy.
“I think Rory Mc thinks most of us play the @ChampionsTour because we ‘have to.’ We play the Champ Tour because we still love golf, the camaraderie and we love to compete,” Estes said on his X account @EstesPga.
Later, the 59-year-old veteran escalated the issue by taking a jab at TGL, of which McIlroy is one of the owners in partnership with Tiger Woods.
“Something has gone terribly wrong if I have to play indoor simulator golf,” Estes posted on X.
Don’t expect Rory McIlroy to play the Champions Tour after he retires. Early Tuesday morning, Rory McIlroy talked about what it might look like when he steps away from PGA Tour golf and the appreciation he has for the longevity of golf careers.
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) March 13, 2025
One of the heavyweights on the Champions Tour, four-time major winner Ernie Els, also weighed in on the issue. “The Big Easy” tried to lighten the subject, saying that he felt similarly when he was McIlroy’s age.
“Interesting to read @McIlroyRory comments today,” Els wrote on his X account @TheBig_Easy. “At 35 years old I was also bullet proof saying things about not playing past 50. I’m 55 now and laughing at my comments from back then. @ChampionsTour golf is so fulfilling with a great bunch of players we all grew up together from junior golf. Our sponsors and partners are wonderful companies and people. Competition is a powerful tool!”
The PGA Tour Champions is a senior circuit that operates under the umbrella of the PGA Tour. Most of the circuit’s biggest stars have gone on to play on the Champions Tour, including Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Gary Player, among many others.
Even Tiger Woods is expected to play on the Champions Tour once he reaches the age limit in December 2026. Players are eligible to play in the senior category from the age of 50.
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