Rory McIlroy is all for the USGA limiting driving distance

What would you say if I told you that baseball limited how far a ball could be hit, basketball decided to negate shots over 30 feet, or the NFL limited how far football could be thrown in the air? Your first reaction would probably be mine when I read that Rory McIlroy is on board with the USGA’s proposal to limit driving distance.

Appearing on the (ironically named) No hanging up podcastsaid the Northern Irish golfer:

“For elite-level games, I really like (the idea). I really do.

“I’m glad with this new proposal that they didn’t touch the recreational golfer. I know that’s a really unpopular opinion among my peers, but I think it will be a bit easier to identify the best players.

“Especially in this era of parity that we’ve lived in for the past few decades.”

OK, man, whatever you say. We’re going to eliminate massive advantages of certain players, and that will lead to the rise of the next Tiger Woods? What kind of rough do you smoke?

Golf is already one of the most challenging sports, and while scores can be very low, US Open venues still eat most elite guys’ lunches. Audiences want to watch pros do things they can’t do anymore than watch a tournament where the leader doesn’t underperform and when everyone hits the ball on a windy day as far as you or me and yourself struggling to clear it Even water hazards have lost their appeal. Nobody checked pewter mug lately? The idiocy, my god.

Other pros say rule changes try to fix a problem that doesn’t exist

Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas each commented on the proposal asks Rahm“Why change what works?” And Thomas saying The USGA is “trying to create a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.”

I’m not sure if they were fed the same talking points or were mind melding, but the #2 and #10 players went on to say it would be bad for the game. Rahm pointed out that it would hurt the weaker players who would need a 4 or 5 iron to hit the ball as far as they used to with a 7, while giving longer players like Rahm a more distinct advantage because they can still hit the racquets they used to use.

That’s probably where McIlroy has his mindset, considering he is Leading the PGA far from the tee (326 meters). The muffled balls would max out at around 320 yards, but it’s not like a governor on a golf cart that slams on the brakes as soon as you hit top speed. Anyone would use the heavy ball, so theoretically the move gives bigger thugs a leg up.

However, fans will not be won over by a made-up Jack Nicklaus or a bootleg tiger. We want an actual successor — that’s something the PGA and USGA both know and care about — but not one that’s the result of a rule change.

McIlroy’s resuscitation spell back on life support

If you’re like me, the constant sniping between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf is stale like a rap beef on its seventh diss track. It’s the sport’s best current rivalry, except nothing is settled on the course, and we stick with McIlroy constantly bitching about Greg Norman because reporters keep asking Rory about LIV, and Rory keeps answering because that’s the biggest is the attention he’s gotten since before fans realized he’s the heir apparent to Jack Shit.

One of the by-products of the exodus of talent to the Saudi tour was the resurgence of McIlroy. He hasn’t won a major since 2014, but last year he had top-eight finishes in all four majors, including second at the Masters and third at the Open Championship, and also took home the FedEx Cup. Is the success due to diluted competition? Or has his righteousness propelled him up and risen again with the greats by the grace of an incorruptible moral compass? I don’t know, but the latter answer sounds better in the lead of a story.

While I acknowledge that McIlroy and the rest of the golfers who didn’t defect will be on the side of history who didn’t readily accept blood money, what’s overlooked is that the schism has begun due to the PGA Tour’s crappy payment model. The recent changes to the tour are direct reactions to LIV and I don’t feel good about either management group, although I feel more comfortable about one than the other.

Which brings me back to McIlroy. I appreciate that he has been open about players switching leagues. It was refreshing to know that not all golfers turn into amoebas when offered absurd sums of money. However, that’s where my affinity ends. I’m good at sound bits, I’m good at reporting and I’m good at Rory. Go win the Masters and give me a reason to listen to you when you do an interview.