"Everyone needs a break, these guys are human as well" - Fans react after Rory McIlroy opens up on why he skipped RBC Heritage

Rory McIlroy didn’t go to the RBC Heritage last April, causing a lot of talk among fans. After a myriad of possible causes for McIlroy's skipping were bandied about, he finally explained why on Tuesday.

McIlroy answered questions from well-known journalist Todd Lewis regarding the reason for his decision on the RBC Player. The golfer alluded to his "mental health" after being eliminated in the Masters Tournament, where he could not even make the cut.

"I needed a break for me. Obviously, after the disappointment of Augusta, and it’s been a pretty taxing 12 months mentally, it was nice to just try to disconnect and get away from it. But it’s nice to come back and feel refreshed,” McIlroy told Lewis.

“More for my mental and emotional well-being, I needed to be at home for those few weeks … I think I’m in a better head space than I was. I had my best ever putting year on Tour last year, so, no need to throw the baby out with the bath water,” the Irishman added.

“That run-up to Augusta has always been a stressful enough couple of weeks trying making sure everything’s in the right order and making sure your game’s in good shape. I think for me it was a nice reset because I still had to realize that there’s three more majors this year, there’s a ton left to play for."

Almost immediately, fans reacted to Rory McIlroy's declaration. Here are some of what they said on Twitter:

"Everyone needs a break, these guys are human as well."

"Absolutely. People don’t realize that these are normal guys. They have struggles that the public will never know about."

"Look as someone who suffers from issues, I get it. Unfortunately, Rory has put a lot of this on himself, and I think he may be regretting taking such a strong stance on LIV instead of just playing golf. He just needs to get back to the basic and play golf. Leave the rest to JM"

"Hate it or love it, athletes are human as well. Well deserved break."

"Fair enough. No decent fan will begrudge him that. Looking forward to having him back."

Of course, not everyone showed love for Rory McIlroy:

"Bro has no fight in him"

"The year is 2023 and if you don't want to be questioned on your decisions, the excuse you give is "mental health"

"So basically, he just didn’t feel like playing"

---

How has the 2022-23 PGA Tour season been for Rory McIlroy?

Rory McIlroy has played seven events on the 2022-23 PGA Tour. He started the season in style, winning the CJ CUP in South Carolina, which is his only victory so far. He has finished second once, three times in the Top 10 and three times in the Top 25. He has missed two cuts and his earnings exceed $5 million.