Rory McIlroy BACKS golf’s rule-makers’ unpopular proposal to restrict driving distances – as their preliminary plan to launch a NEW ball in 2026 is shot down by stars together with Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm
- The R&A and the USGA floated plans to introduce a brand new ball in 2026 final week
- Driving distances would scale back by roughly 15 yards on common consequently
- The plan would cease programs from being over-powered and rendered out of date
Rory McIlroy has backed proposals to curb driving distances in a stance that has put him at odds with numerous golf’s prime names.
His sport’s rule-makers, the R&A and the US Golf Affiliation, final week floated plans to introduce a brand new ball in 2026 that would scale back huge hitting by round 15 yards in efforts to stop programs from being over-powered and rendered out of date.
If ratified, the adjustments would solely impression the elite-level tournaments that select to undertake them, which might nearly actually embody The Open and the US Open. The proposals have thus far been shot down by the likes of Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm in addition to the house owners of the prime ball model Titleist, however McIlroy has thrown his weight and affect behind the concept.
‘I’m glad on this new proposal that they haven’t touched the leisure golfer, however for elite stage play I actually prefer it,’ stated McIlroy, who two years in the past had declared his opposition to doable gear adjustments.
‘I do know that’s a extremely unpopular opinion amongst my friends, however I believe it’s going to assist determine who the very best gamers are a bit simpler. Particularly on this period of parity that we’ve been dwelling in these previous couple of a long time.’
Rory McIlroy has backed recent proposals to curb driving distances with a brand new ball from 2026
Driving distances would scale back by roughly 15 yards on common after the change of ball
Pointing to adjustments made twenty years in the past by the All England Membership to their grass courts, McIlroy informed the No Laying Up podcast: ‘We have been simply speaking about just a few issues (with the chairman of the AELTC) and he stated, “Rory, again within the early 2000s, when males’s tennis was predominantly serve and volley, it wasn’t excellent for the leisure side of the sport. Rallies would not final greater than three photographs. We won’t make the court docket any greater. So what we did do is we slowed the ball down and we modified the grass on the court docket to make it just a little stickier”.
‘You quick ahead from that change three years later and you have Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal taking part in, in all probability among the best finals of Wimbledon ever. This is not distinctive to golf, this occurs in different sports activities as effectively.’
With the proposals receiving chilly to lukewarm suggestions since they have been publicised, there shall be eager curiosity within the pre-Masters media briefing by Augusta chairman Fred Ridley on April 5.
If the Masters select to undertake the adjustments from 2026, it may put strain on PGA Tour occasions to do likewise.
Each Justin Thomas (left) and Jon Rahm (proper) have spoken out in opposition to the brand new ball proposal
McIlroy, who’s at present taking part in on the WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play in Texas, added: ‘Truthfully, for me the main championships are the most important deal, so if the PGA Tour doesn’t implement it, I would nonetheless play the mannequin Native Rule ball, as a result of I do know that that’ll give me the very best likelihood and the very best preparation main into the main championships.
‘Once more, that is private desire and private opinion at this stage of my profession.
‘I do know that I’m going to be outlined by the quantity of main championships that I hopefully will win from now till the top of my profession. And that’s an important factor for me.
‘If that provides me the very best likelihood to succeed on the main championships and really feel as ready as I presumably might be, then that’s what I might do.’
