Rory McIlroy may not see eye-to-eye with Brooks Koepka on the PGA Tour's fallout with LIV Golf, but that didn't stop him from showing his class after Koepka's PGA Championship victory a year ago. Koepka made history for LIV Golf at Oak Hill last May, becoming the first major champion of the breakaway league since its launch in June 2022. In doing so, he clinched an impressive third U.S. PGA title, adding to his consecutive victories in 2018 and 2019, and taking him to five in total.
For McIlroy, it was another week of disappointment on the major championship stage. Despite securing a top-10 finish in seventh place, it meant his wait for a fifth flagship title continued. The drama from the second major of the year was captured by Netflix's Full Swing cameras for the second season of the behind-the-scenes series.
The backstage camera crew caught the moment McIlroy expressed frustration in the Oak Hill locker room, confessing to his team that he doubted whether he could ever triumph on the major stage again. 'My technique is nowhere near as good as it used to be,' he admitted. 'I almost feel like I want to do a complete reboot. It is the only way I feel like I'm going to break through. It feels so far away. I'm not at the stage of my life where I feel like I can do these two-week bootcamps.'
Just a short while later, McIlroy was able to push aside his frustration as he congratulated Koepka when their paths crossed at the car park. Footage shows McIlroy shouting out to get Koepka's attention, followed by a heartfelt hug with McIlroy adding: 'I am really happy for you.' They then part ways and McIlroy adds: 'I'll give you a shout man!'
The two golfers have proven themselves as some of the most successful players of their time, with their crowning moments coming in major championships. Until last year's U.S. PGA, both held equal records with four major wins each. With his latest victory, however, Koepka moved one step ahead, leaving McIlroy visibly frustrated. He responded saying: 'Someone in my era has got more majors than I have. It is hard for me to not define myself as one of the best golfers in the world, so when you struggle like that you feel a little lost.'
Adding to this, admitting it was a turning point for him to step back from off-course controversies surrounding the Tour and LIV, he said: 'I think it was a wake-up call for me to say let's just focus on the golf for a little bit.'
