LIV Golf looks to be on its last legs, and the PGA Tour has won golf’s civil war.
It’s been a rocky road for LIV since the tour lost its Saudi funding. Since then, their season finale has been cancelled, their connection to the Asian Tour has been severed, and a number of their players are eyeing the exit door.
It’s a win for the PGA Tour, and for Rory McIlroy, who has been the loudest anti-LIV voice on the tour since it was created. The ever-outspoken back-to-back Masters champion has been at the forefront of the PGA Tour’s fight against LIV for years.
He was asked if LIV’s demise would give him some personal satisfaction because of his opposition to the breakaway league, and he made a comment about Phil Mickelson in his answer.
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty ImagesRory McIlroy makes Phil Mickelson’s comment when asked about LIV Golf’s strugglesMcIlroy must feel some level of vindication as LIV Golf fights for its life. However, because people will be losing their jobs in the tour’s potential collapse, he refused to take a victory lap.
He did have something to say about Phil Mickelson, though, who has been incredibly outspoken against the PGA Tour since joining LIV.
In a press conference before this year’s BMW Championship, McIlroy was asked if any part of him would be happy to see LIV fold. He said, “It’s a hard one. Like, I think I’ve kept my position consistent that LIV has never been a good thing for the game.
“So, and whatever 2.0 looks like, if it even happens, you know, they say they’re trying to be more collaborative and all that. But this is the best platform for the top professional golfers in the world.
“Yeah, were there some things at the start of LIV that the PGA TOUR could have done better? Sure. But I think that, you know, the guys that went, or you look, you think back to the start with, like, say, Phil was unhappy with some stuff or whatever it was.
“Like, surely that just warranted a conversation instead of blowing the entire professional game up and doing something else.
“So I don’t take any personal satisfaction in people losing jobs. That doesn’t seem right. I’ve always felt like this is the best place to play professional golf. And I’m pretty sure if the PGA Tour were handed 6 billion dollars, it would have done a better job with it.”
Rory McIlroy issues warning to Bryson DeChambeauAs LIV’s demise appears to be imminent, players are eyeing the exit door. According to some reports, Jon Rahm is hoping to agree to a deal with the PGA Tour which would see him back for next season, and even Bryson DeChambeau will play some DP World Tour events next year.
However, McIlroy said to any player who is considering a PGA Tour return, including DeChambeau and Rahm, that it may not be so easy.
When asked if these players returning immediately would be a good thing for the PGA Tour, McIlroy responded, “Eventually, yeah, maybe. Eventually they will. Look, if they play the golf and they, I’m pretty sure — I’m not part of these discussions, but I’m pretty sure they’re not going to be welcomed back straight away.
If they were offered this returning member program back in February, the one that Brooks took, then, yeah, maybe. But that has sort of come and gone.
“And I think it was said at the time that the deal that they might get going forward, if they do decide to come back, isn’t going to be as good as the one that Brooks got. So, yeah, I would say it’s going to be a tough, tough road back.”
Many players have said they want to see all the best players back on the PGA Tour, but McIlroy seems pretty insistent that there need to be repercussions.
Many expected to see LIV’s biggest stars fast tracked back to the tour in 2027, but perhaps it won’t be that simple after all.
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