Rory McIlroy says international golfers should have come to U.S. despite quarantine

After a 13-week break due to the COVID-19 crisis, the PGA Tour is slowly starting back up again. But some international players have declined to come to America and face a 14-day quarantine in order to rejoin the tour. Rory McIlroy, who is competing in the RBC Heritage, says that anyone who is serious about golfing should be willing to face the quarantine.

"If I were in their shoes and I was asked to come over to the States and shelter in place or quarantine for two weeks before these tournaments, I would have done that. Because if you really care about your career and care about moving forward, you should be here,'' McIlroy said.

McIlroy is from Northern Ireland but stayed at his home in Florida during the shutdown. Several players, including Australia's Adam Scott, have opted to hold off returning to the United States, a decision that McIlroy clearly does not agree with.

"I get there are different variables and families and stuff involved, but we all have the means to rent a very nice house in a gated community in Florida and it's not a hardship for two weeks to come over and quarantine. It's fine. My caddie Harry (Diamond) came over and did it. He stayed in our guest house. The two weeks flew by.''

The European Tour is set to resume next month with two events in Australia followed by six weeks of events in the United Kingdom. But for McIlroy, waiting for that is not making golf enough of a priority.

"I honestly don't understand the guys complaining because there is a solution to it,'' McIlroy said. "You can come over here and do what needs to be done. ... It might seem a little harsh, but I don't get that mindset, especially if you care about your career and you want to advance.''