Rory McIlroy Skips Memorial Tournament Amid Schedule Reduction

Rory McIlroy's decision to skip the 2025 Memorial Tournament, hosted by Jack Nicklaus, surprised many including Nicklaus himself, as McIlroy has participated in the event every year since 2017. McIlroy plans to play the Canadian Open instead, continuing a strategy of managing his schedule by playing the week before major championships like the U.S. Open. Despite McIlroy's absence, the Memorial remains a marquee event with a strong field, though his skipping of this and other signature PGA Tour events—concepts he helped initiate—has raised questions about player commitments. Nicklaus expressed understanding of McIlroy's need to manage his schedule and did not hold the absence against him, emphasizing their good relationship and his admiration for McIlroy's game. Additionally, Nicklaus noted a long-standing flaw in McIlroy's driving, where the ball tends to veer right to left, something McIlroy has never corrected, contrasting it with Scottie Scheffler's more controlled play. Overall, McIlroy's choices reflect a conscious effort to balance performance, rest, and participation in key tournaments amid a demanding PGA Tour schedule.