Rory McIlroy will not be joining LIV Golf after reports claimed the four-time Major champion was “close to agreeing a £682m ($850m) U-turn”.
McIlroy, who will play at the RBC Heritage on Thursday after finishing T22 at the Masters this weekend, has been one of the most vehement opponents of the Saudi-backed breakaway league since its creation in 2021.
Despite that, its stance toward the PGA Tour’s rival league has softened of late, following the surprise announcement last summer that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were in talks with LIV Golf about a strategic partnership.
While other Ryder Cup stars such as Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton recently switched sides to join LIV, reports from AM City. on Sunday he claimed that McIlroy was “close to doing the same.” The outlet claims he had been offered a huge sum of money, more than the £400 million ($500 million) they paid Rahm, to switch allegiances.
Mail Sport now understands that those claims that McIlroy is considering a £682m move to LIV are not true, and sources close to the Northern Ireland golfer have denied the reports.
Reports claimed that Rory McIlroy was close to agreeing a £682 million deal to join LIV Golf.
Greg Norman, CEO of LIV, has enjoyed an excellent few months, highlighting the capture of Jon Rahm
But sources close to McIlroy say reports linking him to LIV Golf are untrue.
All eyes were on the Northern Ireland golfer arriving this weekend as he attempted to end his long chase for the coveted green jacket, making his tenth attempt.
Unfortunately, it seemed the pressure had been too much for McIlroy, as the three-time FedEx Cup winner had to endure a difficult weekend at the Masters, finishing four over par and posting scores of 71, 77, 71 and 73.
After finishing one under par on Thursday, McIlroy was in danger of missing the cut, but fought hard to reach par on the final four holes of his round on Friday to ensure safety. He would return Saturday below average for the day, but failed to mount enough of a charge to put him back in contention. McIlroy would eventually finish T22, his third-highest finish at the Masters.
In recent years, the 34-year-old has launched several scathing attacks on the rise of LIV Golf, which he claimed in 2022 had “destroyed the game” and that he “hated” what the rival tour was doing to him. professional golf.
“If you believe in something, I think you have to speak up, and I believe strongly in this,” McIlroy said ahead of the 2022 BMW PGA Championship. ‘I hate what it’s doing to the game of golf. I hate it. I really do.
“It’s going to be hard for me to stand going to Wentworth and seeing 18 of them there. That just doesn’t sit right with me.’
McIlroy had also said he had felt “like a sacrificial lamb” after LIV Golf, the PGA Tour DP World Tour announced peace talks last summer. According to Alan Shipnuck, the divisive golf merger announcement “broke Rory McIlroy’s heart.”
In recent months, the Ryder Cup winner’s stance on golf’s civil war has softened, with McIlroy admitting he may have been too critical of those who joined the breakaway tour, and that they should not be punished for returning. to play on the PGA Tour.
Rahm (second left) and Hatton (first right) have moved on to the rival tour in recent months.
Yasir al-Rumayyan, head of Saudi Arabia’s PIF, continues to negotiate an agreement between LIV Golf, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour on a merger agreement
“I think at this point I was maybe a little judgmental of the guys that went to LIV golf at first, and I think that was a little mistake on my part because now I realize that not everyone is in my position or Tiger’s position Wood,” he said on the Stick to Football podcast, presented by sky bet.
McIlory has clashed with several LIV stars, including his close friend Sergio Garcia, with the two feuding over his defection to LIV. The couple are now back on speaking terms after rekindling their relationship.
Despite that, LIV CEO Greg Norman thanked McIlroy for falling on his sword following the comments, as the pair had been at odds for several years.
“I have to be honest with you, I really appreciate what Rory said,” Norman said on the LIV Golf Podcast. “It’s been a painful couple of years.
‘The reason I say I appreciate Rory falling on his sword to some extent is the fact that he judged us for not knowing the facts.
‘He judged us by other people’s thoughts and opinions. I say, “Hey, thanks Rory.” “This is a significant turning point for everyone.”
McIlroy has softened his stance on LIV Golf, claiming he was too quick to judge LIV defectors
McIlroy’s former agent Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler had claimed that McIlroy could join LIV
It comes as McIlroy’s former agent Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler had spoken favorably about the chances that McIlroy could defect to LIV earlier this year, signaling his change of attitude towards the rival tour.
“If you were being cynical, you could say he’s going to sign for around £750m in a month with LIV because he’s paving the way for LIV to be okay now, whereas it wasn’t,” he said. Bunkered.
‘Who knows? He doesn’t need £750m but it’s strange what he’s done and I’m sure it’s a possibility. Whether he does it or not, I don’t know, but if Rahm can do it, most guys can do it.
“I think, first of all, there is a 10 percent chance that he is in favor of signing with LIV, but he realizes that all this disputes and fights are not good for golf. The man in the street must find The sums of money that are mentioned are frightening.