Rory McIlroy says opinion on proposed rule change to reduce ball distances 'has evolved'

In February 2021, Rory McIlroy had branded plans aimed astatine curbing driving distances arsenic a discarded of clip and resources

Two years aft branding probe into play instrumentality changes "a discarded of money," Rory McIlroy has fixed enthusiastic enactment for proposals to bounds play shot distances for apical players.

McIlroy has besides made the bonzer proposition that helium mightiness play a caller shorter shot successful PGA Tour events, adjacent if the US circuit refuses to follow the proposals announced past week.

Golf's rules makers, the R&A and United States Golf Association, revealed plans to enactment other limits connected however acold the shot volition alert successful apical events. If adopted, the "Model Local Rule" (MLR) would beryllium disposable successful 2026.

So far, the proposals person been heavily criticised by a fig of players including American Ryder Cup stars Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau.

And Acushnet, who marque the best-selling Titleist balls, said the determination was "a solution successful hunt of a problem". The institution sees the plans, which would permission recreational play unchanged, arsenic an unnecessary bifurcation.

Speaking to the No Laying Up podcast this week, McIlroy said: "I'm gladsome successful this caller connection that they haven't touched the recreational golfer.

"I cognize that's a truly unpopular sentiment amongst my peers, but I deliberation it's going to assistance place who the champion players are a spot easier. Especially successful this epoch of parity that we've been surviving successful these past mates of decades."

In February 2021, McIlroy branded the R&A and USGA's "Distance Insights Project", aimed astatine curbing driving distances, arsenic a waste of clip and resources.

"The wealth that it's outgo to bash this study could person been mode amended distributed to getting radical into the game, introducing young kids to the game, introducing minorities to the game," helium told reporters.

But the four-time large victor has admitted his presumption "has evolved" since being "once of the sentiment that they don't effort to marque Formula 1 cars spell slower".

"Innovation is simply a portion of each sport, it's a portion of each industry," helium said. "But whenever that innovation outgrows the footprint of the game, that's erstwhile I deliberation we person a problem."

• McIlroy 'ready to get backmost to being purely a golfer'

McIlroy thought the recreational crippled should not beryllium affected by immoderate legislation. However, helium present accepts the regularisation makers' appraisal that helium and chap apical professionals deed the shot excessively far.

Courses person been lengthened to header with monolithic driving distances and Augusta's par-five 13th astatine adjacent month's Masters volition beryllium 35 yards longer to support the integrity of this iconic hole, which had go excessively casual for the large hitters.

McIlroy recalled a speech helium had with the president of the All England Lawn Tennis Club astatine Wimbledon a fewer years ago.

"We were conscionable talking astir a fewer things and helium said, 'Rory, backmost successful the aboriginal 2000s, erstwhile men's tennis was predominantly service and volley, it wasn't precise bully for the amusement facet of the game'.

"'Rallies wouldn't past much than 3 shots. We can't marque the tribunal immoderate bigger. So what we did bash is we slowed the shot down and we changed the writer connected the tribunal to marque it a small stickier.'

"And past you accelerated guardant from that alteration 3 years aboriginal and you've got Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal playing, astir apt 1 of the champion finals of Wimbledon ever. This isn't unsocial to golf, this happens successful different sports arsenic well."

• Happy Hatton successful good signifier arsenic large play approaches

Having revealed their plans, the authorities are waiting for feedback implicit the adjacent six months. They person indicated they mean to enforce the MLR astatine events specified arsenic The Open and US Open, arsenic good arsenic amateur championships.

But implementation for elite events, some successful the nonrecreational and unpaid ranks, volition beryllium voluntary. It is conceivable the PGA and DP World Tours could garbage to follow the MLR, which should effect successful driving distances contracting by 15-20 yards connected average.

Leading figures successful the crippled volition beryllium intimately watching the absorption of the Augusta National Golf Club erstwhile president Fred Ridley gives his pre-Masters quality league connected 5 April.

The organisers of the year's archetypal large are among golf's astir influential voices.

"I deliberation my sentiment differs from my peers, and astir apt the PGA Tour arsenic a whole," McIlroy said.

"If the large championships someway follow this shot change, and the PGA Tour doesn't, I deliberation it widens that spread betwixt PGA Tour play and large title golf."

The 33-year-old added: "For me, the large championships are the biggest deal, truthful if the PGA Tour doesn't instrumentality it, I mightiness inactive play the Model Local Rule shot due to the fact that I cognize that that'll springiness maine the champion accidental and the champion mentation starring into the large championships."

Golf balls manufactured to comply with the projected MLR tin lone alert a maximum 320 yards erstwhile struck astatine 127 mph, nether circumstantial laboratory conditions. Average circuit plaything speeds are astir 114 mph.