Rory McIlroy continues attack on Aronimink after another X-rated press conference moment

It would seem Rory McIlroy won’t be itching to come back to Aronimink Golf Club any time soon.

Following his difficult first round at the 2026 PGA Championship, McIlroy steadied the ship and recovered well on Friday with a classy round of 67.

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He now heads into the weekend just five shots behind the leaders with two rounds to play as he eyes back-to-back major titles. 

But the 37-year-old Grand Slam champion has not cut a happy figure in Philadelphia this week.

Following his somewhat controversial ‘bomb and gouge’ comments pre-tournament, McIlroy then described his first round as ‘s***’ in his press conference.

McIlroy was asked to sum up his play on Friday too and responded  ‘not as s***’.

He then went on to complain about the Aronimink set-up with the tough conditions and tricky pin placements seeing an extremely bunched leaderboard.

McIlroy is among 43 players who are within five shots of the top of the leaderboard.

“I think a bunched leaderboard like this, it’s a sign of not a great set-up,” McIlroy said. 

“I think when it’s as bunched as it is, it hasn’t really enabled anyone to separate themselves.

“It’s easy to make a ton of pars, hard to make birdies. Not that it’s hard to make bogey, but it feels like bogey’s the worst score you’re going to shoot on any one hole. There’s not a lot of hazards.

“I think the set-up is fine – the golf course is good, the pins were tough and the wind was what it was as well.

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“I’ve always felt like really good set-ups start to spread the field a bit and not great set-ups sort of bring everyone together. I feel like that’s what’s happened the last two days.”

He added: “It has been hard to make birdies out there because obviously the wind the last couple days, but also where they have put these hole locations.

“I feel like they have really tried to protect the course the first couple of days.

“It seems like they have used up a lot of the really hard ones [pins]. Depending upon a little bit calmer conditions and maybe a couple more favourable hole locations, I think guys that are just here for the weekend – I think everyone’s got to feel like they have got a chance.

“It’s bunched, but you get on a run with wedges on that front nine and you shoot four of five under and all of a sudden you’re right in the thick of things. 

“At five back I do feel like I’m right in the tournament, and that’s really what I wanted to do today.”

McIlroy’s superstar group with Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth also had to cope with the slow pace of play at Aronimink on Friday, with their round taking over six hours.

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Sahith Theegala’s bizarre vanishing ball didn’t help but the old school course has also created a number of bottlenecks.

“It was slow,” McIlroy added. “I think that [Theegala’s lost ball] was what definitely delayed us in the middle of that round. 

“There’s a few little parts of the course that you can sort of get jammed on, but it’s fine.

“It seems like that’s the first two days of major championship golf are always going to be like that. 

“You get that afternoon tee time on Friday at Augusta and it’s one of the slowest rounds of the year. 

“You don’t mind being out there because it’s Augusta, but at the same time it is very, very slow.”

McIlroy will resume his tournament at 4pm UK time and has been paired with Brooks Koepka in an all-star third round tee time.