AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 07: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland reacts to a putt on the 18th green during the second round of the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 07, 2023 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Renowned professional golfer, Rory McIlroy, has publicly shifted his stance towards the controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series—an entity he initially criticized. During an appearance on Stick To Football with Gary Neville and Roy Keane, McIlroy confessed to having been too harsh in his early judgments, especially towards fellow golfers Sergio Garcia and Bryson DeChambeau who joined the series.
McIlroy’s Change of Heart
In a display of pragmatism and humility, McIlroy acknowledged that not all golfers are in his privileged position, or that of Tiger Woods. The reality is that many players turned professional primarily to earn a living. He has since expressed regret over his prior stance, accepting LIV Golf as a permanent fixture in the landscape of professional golf, despite his past efforts to uphold the traditional structure of the sport.
Reflecting on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf
McIlroy also took the opportunity to discuss the financial differences between the PGA and LIV Tours. Notably, LIV offers a guaranteed contract plus prize money, with numbers being touted for Jon Rahm upwards of £500 million. While McIlroy has not entertained the idea of a LIV contract, he would consider it if it only took up a short period of the season and mostly left standard PGA tournaments unaffected.
Accepting the New Era of Golf
McIlroy admits that his influence is limited in swaying others’ opinions and that his primary role is to play his best game, rather than to oppose the LIV Golf series. He now sees the disruptive new series as a part of the sport’s evolution. He has acknowledged the need for golf to learn from the disruptions caused by LIV Golf and the flaws it has exposed in the PGA Tour system.
While acknowledging the existence of LIV Golf, McIlroy also revealed his involvement in a new venture with Tiger Woods called The Golf League (TGL) in conjunction with the PGA. This development suggests that McIlroy is committed to helping shape the future of golf, irrespective of the challenges posed by alternative tours like LIV Golf
