“I don’t understand the anger” – Rory McIlroy hits back at the opposition for the golf ball rollback, backs governing bodies

Amid a raging debate, Rory McIlroy has once again backed the golf ball rollback. The Irish golfer came out in support of the R&A and USGA's move after several players, but fans slammed it. The golfer, who’d first spoken against the move, has said it will “help bring back certain skills in the pro game.”

McIlroy had first called the project a "huge waste of time and money." However, he soon changed his stance in support of the governing bodies. The former PGA Tour player director has now claimed that he “doesn’t understand the anger about the golf ball rollback.” He said that the move makes no difference to non-pro players and “puts golf back on a path of sustainability.”

Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter) to back the golf ball roll back, Rory McIlroy tweeted:

“I don’t understand the anger about the golf ball rollback. It will make no difference whatsoever to the average golfer and puts golf back on a path of sustainability. It will also help bring back certain skills in the pro game that have been eradicated over the past 2 decades.”

He also noted that “elite pros and ball manufacturers” are to be blamed for the proposed move and not the governing bodies involved. He accused the game of being swayed by “money talks.”

“The people who are upset about this decision shouldn’t be mad at the governing bodies. They should be mad at elite pros and club/ball manufacturers because they didn’t want bifurcation. The governing bodies presented us with that option earlier this year.

"Elite pros and ball manufacturers think bifurcation would negatively affect their bottom lines, when in reality, the game is already bifurcated. You think we play the same stuff you do? They put pressure on the governing bodies to roll it back to a lesser degree for everyone. Bifurcation was the logical answer for everyone, but, yet again, in this game, money talks.”

It's pertinent to note that this isn’t the first time McIlroy backed the move. Earlier in March, the Irishman lauded the proposal to make the ball shorter in the pro game and said that ‘innovation was a part of every sport.’

The four-time Major Championship winner’s comment faced flak online, as the move was slammed by players like Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas.

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USGA, R&A to announce golf ball rollback soon: Reports

According to several reports, the USGA and R&A are set to announce the golf ball rollback next week.

Golf Digest's report suggests that the move is set to be unanimously announced for both professional and recreational golfers. That's contrary to the previous claims of applying the change only for professionals.

For the unversed, the R&A and USGA had first raised concerns about increased golf ball driving distances in 2020. The governing bodies soon proposed the new Modal Local Rule through a joint announcement.

According to the project outline, the golf ball testing standards would be updated to lower the driving speed and distances.