Scheffler calls for "more robust" driver testing as McGinley slams lack of transparency
Scottie Scheffler hits his tee shot on the ninth hole during the final round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club on Sunday, May 18, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
Paul McGinley has backed Scottie Scheffler’s view that golf’s governing bodies need to be more transparent about driver testing after needless social media comment over Rory McIlroy’s failed driver conformance test at the PGA Championship.
Scheffler overcame a spirited final round charge by Jon Rahm to win his third major by five shots at Quail Hollow and had no problem admitting that he was one of the players who was asked by the USGA to replace their driver on Tuesday after it became non-conforming due to natural wear and tear on the face.
While there was no official confirmation by the USGA or the PGA of America, only McIlroy was “outed” by a US digital radio channel SiriusXM as one of the players whose driver was deemed illegal during random testing of a third of the field at Quail Hollow.
McIlroy didn’t play well, finishing 14 shots behind Scheffler on three-over. But there is every reason to suspect that his decision to skip media interviews every day was because he was the only player publicly named and subjected to ill-informed social media comment.
“So the driver testing is something that regularly happens on tour,” Scheffler said after his win. “My driver did fail this week. We had a feeling that it was going to be coming, because I had used that driver for over a year, and so I was kind of fortunate for it to last that long.
“I would argue that if we're going to test the drivers, we need to be even more robust in the way we test them. And that was a conversation I had with one of the rules officials.
“I think if it's something that we're going to take seriously, I feel like we're almost going kind of halfway with it right now if we're going to test only a third of the field.
“Like the rest of the rules in the game of golf, this is just a newer rule that we haven't quite gotten right yet. And I think we have some stuff to figure out.
“I think if we're going to do it, we might as well do it right and get even more robust, even more strict. You can test guys every week if you want. I mean, there's no reason why we shouldn’t.”
The PGA of America issued a statement on Saturday afternoon, less than 24 hours after social media blew up with wildly inaccurate comments on McIlroy’s failed test.
The statement didn’t mention McIlroy by name but it did say that failed tests were kept confidential so that players would be protected from unwanted questioning.
“To publicly identify players whose club did not conform can lead to that player being questioned unnecessarily,” the PGA of America’s Chief Championships Officer Kerry Haigh said in the statement.
“Neither the USGA nor the PGA of America have any concerns about player intent."
Speaking on Golf Channel, former European Ryder Cup captain McGinley vehemently disagreed with the policy of “protecting” players and called for full transparency so that players were not subjected to toxic and inaccurate social media speculation and outlandish accusations of deliberate cheating.
The Dubliner was also critical of McIlroy for dodging media interviews, just as he was with Collin Morikawa, who refused to speak after losing out in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and later insisted that he “doesn’t owe anyone anything” when it comes to media responsibilities.
“My view is very clear,” McGinley said. “I said it about Collin Morikawa, I’ll say about other players and I’ll say it about Rory McIlroy.
“I don't like when they don't do interviews. I don’t think it’s good for the game and I don’t think it’s good for their persona.
"Rory is very popular and you run the risk of undoing a lot of the popularity when you don't speak.
“What his reasons were for not speaking, I don't know, but what I will say about the equipment issue—and Scottie Scheffler is correct— the authorities need to take ownership of this and not leave it down to the players to deal with it.
“I think they could have got ahead of the story this week. They tested a third of the players and Scottie has just said that he had an issue with his driver as well.
“So why didn't they come out and just be transparent and make a nice announcement at the start of the week, or do something every single week?
“I mean, there's enough money around the game. Have somebody there every week who checks 156 drivers. It’s not difficult, and it's a shame that this kind of stuff is coming in.
“People on social media are coming out and saying, ‘How long has it been that kind of driver?’ and, ‘Was it at the Masters, or was it not?’ I mean, this is all speculation that shouldn't have happened.”
He added: “Media 101 is to get ahead of the story. If the USGA were here checking, why not be transparent? I really have an issue when they’re not transparent.
“And then the PGA puts out a statement to say, ‘Oh, we're protecting the players.’ You're not protecting the players. Quite clearly, you've exposed Rory.
“And you know, Scottie has admitted that he's had it as well. But that rumour didn't come out. Rory’s rumour did come out, and all of a sudden the speculation on social media escalates and it's out of control.
“If they had got ahead of it at the start of the week, they could have said, ‘We do it every single week. We always find a number of players’.
“You're not protecting the players. When you keep everything secretive, that leads to speculation. What is there to hide?
“These faces are so thin nowadays, and with the speed that these guys put into the driver, sometimes they crack and sometimes they wear.
“That's a natural thing that happens in the game. Let's just take it for what it is.”
