By Bob Harig
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AKRON, Ohio -- We like for our sports stars to be honest, and when they are, often times they are criticized for their frank comments.

Hence, many revert to giving the canned answers, and it goes back to wishing they were more forthcoming.

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Matt Sullivan/Getty ImagesRory McIlroy is considering rejoining the PGA Tour in 2012, which would give American golf fans many more chances to see the reigning U.S. Open champion in person and on television.

Wednesday Rory McIlroy was asked an innocent question about taking up PGA Tour membership next year. It is a subject he has addressed repeatedly since late in 2010, when he surprisingly decided to rescind his membership for this year, leading to plenty of conversation on both sides of the Atlantic.

McIlroy, who had discussed a wide-range of topics already upon his first visit back in the States following his U.S. Open victory, could have easily dodged his way around the query or simply said nothing has changed.

Instead, he was honest, which will clearly lead to more questions over the coming days and weeks.

"I'm leaning towards taking my card up again definitely," he said. "I feel as if I play my golf over here. I'm very comfortable in this country. I'm going to look at a few houses down in Florida after the PGA. I'm definitely looking towards coming back and playing a full schedule over here."

Well, well. There has been plenty of consternation of McIlroy's decision late last year to rescind his membership then to skip the Players Championship. Just as there will likely be to come back and take it up again.

Whatever your take on the issue, it is nice to see McIlroy take on the questions and answer them truthfully, even if it sometimes causes him some problems -- such as last month at Royal St. George's when he complained about the weather and that his game was suited more for 80 degrees.

"I don't think there is anything wrong with speaking your mind," McIlroy said. "It's tough because different people have different opinions. Speaking your mind creates conversation and as long as you're willing to accept the criticism that comes with that, then that's fine.

"I'm always very honest in interviews and I'm always trying to give good answers."

McIlroy gave honest answers in the aftermath of his tie for 25th at Royal St. George's and got burned. Saying that he didn't want to adapt his game to the conditions of an Open venue didn't go over very well, given that McIlroy is expected to contend for numerous major titles.

Last week at the Irish Open, he ran into some uncomfortable moments after a Twitter spat with an on-course reporter who questioned his course management. McIlroy might have been better off to avoid Twitter in that circumstance, but it is hard to blame him if he felt a need to defend himself.

"I think the comments after the Open Championship ... I was very frustrated," he said. "I was frustrated with how my weekend went. If I had to do it over again, I probably would have said something a little different. It was just the way I was feeling at that point.

"And what happened in Ireland last week, the whole Twitter thing was unfortunate. I was just off the course after making a double bogey, having lunch, going through Twitter, seeing a couple of comments, and I just responded to them. That's the world we live in these days, everything is instant. I'll maybe think about things a little more carefully next time.

"It won't stop me from tweeting or speaking my mind."

By winning the British Open last month, Darren Clarke put himself in position to take up membership on the PGA Tour (he was a tour member from 2003 to 2006), but not surprisingly, appears content to play a majority of his golf on the European Tour.

Clarke, 42, did not rule out PGA Tour membership starting in 2012 but it is clear the idea is a long shot.

"The whole thing about being a member is so you can participate in the FedEx [Cup] at the end of the year," he said. "Playing in the FedEx is not really something that would get my attention. It's wonderful that they've got it over here, but I've got other commitments, and my home is in Europe now.

"I really enjoy coming over here and playing. It's a wonderful place to play with some of the best tournaments and best guys in the world, but joining that commitment of 15 tournaments right now for me ... I'm 42, I've been there, done that, been a member before."

Clarke cited his move back to Portrush in Northern Ireland and spending time with his sons as big considerations.

"It's something that [agent] Chubby [Chandler] and I need to sit down and take a look at carefully and see if it could work," he said. "And if it could work, then there's a decision to be made."

Chandler is also the agent for Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood, other high-profile players who have declined PGA Tour membership.

It'll never get the attention that Tiger Woods switching swing coaches receives, but Padraig Harrington 's decision to part ways with longtime instructor Bob Torrance is similarly jarring.

Torrance, 79, has worked with Harrington for 15 years, and the father to former European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance has a reputation for helping some of Europe's finest.

Harrington, who turns 40 next month, decided Saturday, after missing the cut at the Irish Open -- his sixth missed cut of the year -- he would, at least temporarily, part ways with Torrance while he tried to sort out issues in his game.

The Irishman won three major championships over the course of two years and rose to No. 3 in the world, then inexplicably kept making changes to his swing. At the time, he was given the benefit of the doubt, but given a dearth of victories since, it appears the constant tinkering has hurt rather than helped as Harrington has slipped outside of the top 60 in the world.

Torrance told Irish media last week that Harrington "has been going down one road and I think it is the wrong one and he is determined to go down that road.

"I said to him, if you go down too far, you won't come back. You cannot make changes at 40 in golf. You can make them when you are in your 20s, but once you get to 40, it's too late."

Torrance simply said he is disappointed by the developments, but both said they did not rule out getting back together.

… what the realistic expectations for Tiger Woods should be this week at the Bridgestone Invitational. Woods sounded surprisingly upbeat and chipper about the state of his game and his health, but is it too much to expect him to compete and contend at Firestone? Probably.

Perhaps it is best to see him complete 72 holes without pain, and to watch him hit solid golf shots. It is difficult to envision Woods putting together the numbers to score so well, especially given his lack of activity over the past four months.

How much has he been able to work on his short game, his bunker play, his putting? Those are aspects of his game that have been lacking even when healthy, and it's a lot to ask for all of this to come together in such a short time.

Bob Harig covers golf for ESPN.com. He can be reached at BobHarig@gmail.com.