Rory McIlroy Bans Himself From Social Media After Elkington Spat

Speaking on the eve of the Irish Open, the Ulsterman has revealed he has banned himself from social media after his twitter spat with Steve Elkington

Rory McIlroy Bans Himself From Social Media After Elkington Spat
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Speaking on the eve of the Irish Open, the Ulsterman has revealed he has banned himself from social media after his twitter spat with Steve Elkington

Rory McIlroy Bans Himself From Social Media After Elkington Spat

Rory McIlroy has told media he has banned himself from social media after his recent spat with 1995 USPGA Champion Steve Elkington.

The Ulsterman was speaking on the eve of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, which is supported by the Rory McIlroy Foundation.

Elkington accused McIlroy of being "bored" of professional golf with "100 mill in the bank" after the four-time major winner missed the cut at the US Open.

But Rory responded, saying "More like 200mill, not bad for a 'bored' 28-year-old. Plenty more where that came from."

McIlroy then went on to correct Elkington's grammar in a later tweet.

"I must have wrote that tweet and deleted it about five times before I actually sent it," McIlroy said in his press conference.

"I sort of regret sending it at the end but I actually gave my wife, Erica, my phone and my Twitter and told her, 'Change my password to something else and don't tell me what it is'.

Rory mcilroy bans himself from social media

Rory Mcilroy tees off on the 7th during the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Pro-Am at Portstewart Golf Club. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

"So as of the time being, I'm off social media just because of that reason. I don't need to read it. It's stuff that shouldn't get to you and sometimes it does.

The 28-year-old said he wouldn't have reacted the same had it been a member of the media.

Continues below

Expand Rory McIlroy What’s In The Bag?

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour To Introduce New Doping Regulations For 2017/18

Rory McIlroy What’s In The Bag?

See the clubs Rory McIlroy currently has in…

Expand Rory McIlroy Backs New PGA Tour Doping Regulations

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour To Introduce New Doping Regulations For 2017/18

Rory McIlroy Backs New PGA Tour Doping Regulations

The PGA Tour will now use blood testing…

Expand Rory McIlroy defends Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

Rory McIlroy defends Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

Rory McIlroy defends Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Rose and Jon Rahm are…

Expand Irish Open Golf Betting Tips

Irish Open Golf Betting Tips

Irish Open Golf Betting Tips

Who is going to take home the spoils…

"It is not what was said. It was who said it and anyone who has been in that environment should realise how hard golf is at times," he said.

"That is the thing that got to me more than anything else.

"If it was written by a member of the media or something I could let it slide, because I can sort of say to myself, they don't really know how it is and they don't know what you have to deal with.

"But a former player that has won a major and been successful, that's sort of why it got to me and that's why I sort of retaliated a little bit."

The Irish Open gets underway on Thursday, with McIlroy part of the featured group alongside Jon Rahm and Hideki Matsuyama.

TOPICS
Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV