Masters contenders defend stances on ignoring media: 'It's not my job'

Collin Morikawa and Rory McIlroy haven't precisely made friends with the media this week up of The Masters.

After a pugnacious nonaccomplishment astatine the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Morikawa opted not to talk with the media. Days later, helium said helium did not "owe anyone anything."

"No discourtesy to you guys, but for me, successful the infinitesimal of that time, I didn’t privation to beryllium astir anyone. Like, I didn’t privation to speech to anyone. I didn’t request immoderate sorries. I didn’t request immoderate ‘good playings.’ Like, you’re conscionable p---ed," helium said astatine the time.

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Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa observe aft McIlroy holed retired from a bunker connected the 18th spread during the last circular of the Masters.  (Michael Madrid/USA Today Sports)

The speech returned astatine Augusta National Tuesday, and Morikawa defended his stance.

"I could’ve said it differently, but I basal by what I said. I was successful the moment," Morikawa said Tuesday successful Augusta. "We speech astir giving radical abstraction to beryllium who they are, and, astatine that time, it was for maine to beryllium who I was. And I didn’t privation to beryllium astir anyone. I didn’t adjacent privation to beryllium astir my wife. Like, I said ‘Hi’ to her after, we hugged and I went consecutive to the locker room."

Morikawa past offered his instrumentality connected the situation.

Collin Morikawa of the United States reacts aft making birdie connected the eighth greenish during the 3rd circular of the 2024 Masters astatine Augusta National Golf Club April 13, 2024, successful Augusta, Ga.  (Warren Little/Getty Images)

"In that aspect, determination needs to beryllium a equilibrium and an ebb and travel betwixt everything. I bash privation to beryllium present for you guys," helium said. "But here’s the thing: I’ve been successful the apical 5 successful the satellite before, and radical don’t travel up to maine and inquire maine questions. You guys, you can’t conscionable inquire maine [questions] erstwhile I’m playing well. Like, you guys should beryllium asking the apical 10 players each azygous week, each azygous day, and conscionable papers it. 

"Then you get a consciousness of who we are, and you get a travel of however that comes to be. So, there’s a balance. If you guys don’t privation to inquire me, it’s not my occupation to spell retired and archer you my story. Sometimes it is, but you bash that done societal media. You bash that done playing well, winning tournaments. But not everyone’s similar that. So, that’s wherefore I don’t get this whole, you cognize … I basal by what I said."

Rory McIlroy did the aforesaid arsenic Morikawa aft his illness astatine the U.S. Open past twelvemonth and noted Tuesday that golfers are not required to talk with the media.

"Well, he's right," McIlroy said. "Look, each different athlete, whether it beryllium successful the NBA, NFL, they’re obligated to talk to you guys aft a game. We’re not. Whether that’s thing that the PGA Tour looks to successful presumption of putting that into the rules and regulations. But, arsenic agelong arsenic that’s not the case, and we person that enactment to opt-out whenever we want, expect guys to bash that from clip to time."

Rory McIlroy lines up a putt connected the 17th greenish arsenic Collin Morikawa looks connected during the archetypal circular of the 150th Open Championship astatine St. Andrews Old Course.  (Rob Schumacher/USA Today Sports)

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The Masters, which McIlroy and Morikawa are some aiming to triumph for the archetypal time, tees disconnected Thursday.

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