Rory McIlroy has support from Tommy Fleetwood after claim about his treatment

Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood are usually competing against each other, but the 2 Brits look to person communal crushed connected 1 peculiar issue

Not agelong after Rory McIlroy deed retired astatine the property for holding him to a higher modular than everybody else, Tommy Fleetwood lent his enactment to the Northern Irishman.

In December, McIlroy expressed his vexation astatine journalists who helium believes are excessively speedy to criticise him. His vexation overflowed astatine the extremity of an affectional year, which saw him narrowly miss retired connected securing his 5th large win.

At the US Open, the 35-year-old was connected the brink of victory, lone to be pipped to the station by Bryson DeChambeau by a azygous stroke. Six months aft this disappointing loss, McIlroy voiced his annoyance astatine the media's inclination to absorption connected his failures during interviews.

When asked astir his views connected however McIlroy is treated by the press, Fleetwood concurred with his colleague.

Speaking astatine the DP World Tour Championship successful Dubai past November, Fleetwood said: "Of course, Rory is held to a higher modular than beauteous overmuch everybody other successful the world of golf. But I deliberation he's shown astonishing play again this year, and he's shown wherefore he's 1 of the champion to ever bash it.

"Of course, I deliberation it's casual for everyone to look astatine what could person happened if things spell a small antithetic way. But astatine the aforesaid time, you lone get to speech astir those things if helium is consistently up determination with a accidental of winning week-in, week-out.

"He's shown astonishing consistency. So adjacent to winning a major, truthful adjacent to winning a clump of events portion winning a fewer astatine the aforesaid time."

Fleetwood's enactment proceeded McIlroy's blunt speech with the media astatine the time. In December, the irked Northern Irishman didn't clasp backmost successful expressing his irritation astatine the continuous reminders astir his lack from the Majors winners' ellipse since 2014.

He said: "I deliberation what the hard happening is successful my presumption is your disappointments and your mistakes support getting brought up to you each clip that you get successful beforehand of a camera oregon you're successful a property league oregon answering questions.

"At the aforesaid time, I americium successful a precise fortunate presumption that this is what I get to bash for a living. If I person to woody with what radical deem are unfair expectations oregon are held to a higher modular than others, past truthful beryllium it.

"I consciousness similar that's a precise privileged presumption to beryllium in. I'd overmuch alternatively person it this mode than if radical didn't truly attraction astir what I was doing connected the play course.

"It's hard due to the fact that connected 1 hand, I beryllium present and I'm arrogant of what I've done this year, but past connected the different manus I beryllium present and I americium disappointed due to the fact that of the ones I've fto get away."

McIlroy has kicked disconnected 2025 successful style, winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am by 2 strokes, defeating rivals Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, and Sepp Straka. His triumph proceeded the titles helium won successful 2024, including: the Dubai Desert Classic, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Lowry, and the Wells Fargo Championship.