Rory McIlroy Defends Scottie Scheffler's Limited Travel

Rory McIlroy pushed back on criticism of Scottie Scheffler's largely domestic 2026 schedule, telling reporters Wednesday that the world No. 1 has done enough internationally and shouldn't be judged against players who travel more.

Speaking ahead of this week's Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, McIlroy noted that Scheffler has made 20 starts this year, with only two of them outside the United States: the Scottish Open and the Open Championship in England. McIlroy, by contrast, has played in the United Arab Emirates, Scotland, England, Ireland and India in 2026, with a trip to Australia still to come.

Why does McIlroy think the criticism is unfair?

McIlroy framed his own globe-trotting as a personal preference rather than an obligation every top player should share. He said Scheffler, who has a young family, has no obligation to add international appearances just to satisfy outside expectations.

I think Scottie being Scottie is good enough for the world of golf.

McIlroy added that players should be free to set schedules that fit their own lives rather than treat travel as a proxy for commitment to the game.