Rory McIlroy took Charley Hoffman to task for criticism of the TGL and players taking time off to compete on the DP World Tour after feeling the veteran’s comments in a letter to tour players were “pointed at me”.
McIlroy’s Boston Common Golf team were beaten 6-2 by Collin Morikawa’s Los Angeles Golf Club in the indoor golf league in Florida on Tuesday night just 48 hours after he claimed his 27th PGA Tour win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
But two weeks after Justin Thomas wrote to players asking them to focus on giving “more access and insight” veteran Hoffman (48) wrote a memo of his own criticising the TGL and other matters which McIlroy felt he was a veiled personal attack.
“I think the thing he forgot to mention is the PGA TOUR owns 20 percent of TGL, so he’s criticising his own product,” McIlroy said.
“They also own a good chunk of European Tour Productions, so again… I thought some of the elements of the letter were fine, addressed some issues. He was criticising the Aon Swing 5. He was sixth in that.
“He talks about having it be for the good of the TOUR, but he’s also talking about himself, as well.
“I thought a couple of them were pointed at me a little bit because TGL, Race to Dubai, non-PGA TOUR events like the Showdown that Scottie and I did in December, I’ve been vocal about not wanting to play quite as much so it seemed like it was pointed at me.
Hoffman was critical of players saying they want to play more events but playing fewer in reality.
“If we truly care about strengthening our tour, we should be supporting as many PGA Tour events as we can,” Hoffman wrote.
“Many of you keep saying you want to play fewer events, yet you still find time for TGL, Race to Dubai, and other non-PGA Tour events, and that’s going to continue regardless of field size.”
As for the Aon Swing 5, which allows players to qualify for Signature Events, Hoffman had complaints.
“The idea behind [the AON Swing 5] is great,” Hoffman said. “But like anything new, we need to make sure it’s working as intended.
Charley Hoffman was critical of players saying they want to play more events but playing fewer in reality.
“This year at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, only two players got into the field from this category before the deadline, and three of the alternates also qualified via AON Swing 5.
“So in my mind we only got two unique playing opportunities for our members.”
McIlroy accepted that players have “look out for themselves” but added that the Tour’s interests were also at the back of every player’s mind.
“But I think the best way for any of us to help the TOUR is to tee it up and play as best we can,” he said.
As for Boston Common Golf’s defeat to Los Angeles Golf Club, the match was notable for a technical glitch that forced Boston’s Tommy Fleetwood, a replacement for Sahith Theegala, to retake a shot.
Fleetwood had to repeat a167-yard approachon the second hole after the technology said his ball had moved less than a yard.
“I promise I hit it better than that. I swear I hit it better than that,” Fleetwood said.
The officials eventually decided that Fleetwood could hit again after an “invalid reading” but he found sand and Los Angeles won the hole to go 2-0 ahead.
Los Angeles stretched their lead to 5-0 but while Keegan Bradley beat Justin Rose in the singles on the 12th hole to make it 5-1, it was not enough to avoid a 6-2 defeat in the 15-hole match.
McIlroy took time out afterwards to express condolences to Tiger Woods on the death of his mother Kultida (aged 80) this week.
“Yeah, obviously very sad, sort of surreal,” McIlroy said. “She was here last Monday night. Yeah, it seemed sudden.
“I got to know Tida a little bit. She was always very warm, very courteous and generous with her time. It was always a delight to see her at tournaments.
“As time went on, you sort of saw her less and less, and you’d bump into her in player dining and it was always nice to see her. She always had a big smile.
“You obviously feel for Tiger and Sam and Charlie and wish them all the best. Yeah, it’s a sad day.”