PICTURED: Rory McIlroy looks GLUM as he is seen for the first time since controversial PGA-LIV Golf merger, as the vocal critic of the Saudi-backed tour plays in the Pro AM in Canada
A glum-looking Rory McIlroy was seen for the first time since the bombshell PGA-LIV Golf merger was announced on Tuesday.
The stunning merger rocked the world of golf, with the PGA and European Tours having signed an agreement with the Saudi-backed circuit to combine their businesses into a new, yet-to-be-named company.
The merger ends the ongoing litigation between the bitter rivals but specific financial and operational details of the deal are yet to be disclosed.
The announcement came after 12 months of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of LIV, which held its first event in June 2022 in England.
McIlroy, along with Tiger Woods had established themselves as among the fiercest critics of the Saudi-backed tour, but were both kept in the dark about the deal.
Rory McIlroy appeared on the course for the first time since the PGA-LIV merger was announced
McIlroy is playing in the Pro Am at the Canadian Open ahead of the main tournament
The Northern Irishman was an outspoken critic of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit
And on Wednesday, the Northern Irishman was spotted for the first time as he played nine holes of the Pro Am at the Canadian Open.
It comes after news also broke today that McIlroy was told to ‘f*** off’ by a fellow PGA Tour golfer and world number 227 Grayson Murray during an explosive meeting on Tuesday between the tour’s stars and commissioner Jay Monahan following the announcement.
McIlroy – who reportedly turned down an extremely lucrative deal worth £400m from LIV – had hit out at those on the breakaway tour several times since it was launched.
This includes when he claimed he felt ‘betrayed’ by some of his former Ryder Cup colleagues such as Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, while he also insisted stars had only joined LIV due to ‘the boatloads of cash’ on offer instantly, before adding: ‘for some guys that’s really enticing’.
He is also one of many stars who feel they have been betrayed by PGA Tour commissioner Monahan, who previously slammed those joining LIV in regards to the morality of accepting Saudi money and pointed to the Kingdom’s links to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
After the merger was announced, Monahan accepted he will be labelled a ‘hypocrite’ but insisted the players who remained loyal to the PGA Tour had made the right decision.
‘They have helped re-architect the future of the PGA Tour, they have moved us to a more competitive model,’ Monahan – who has faced several calls to resign – said.
McIlroy reportedly turned down a £400m offer from the Saudi-backed tour as they tried to prize him away
PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan has been slammed after his previous comments in regards to LIV
‘We have significantly invested in our business in 2023, we’re going to do so in ’24. (But) we’ve had to invest back in our business through our reserves. Between our reserves, the legal fees, our underpin and our commitment to the DP World Tour and their legal fees, it’s been significant.
‘But this puts us in a position where we’ve got capital that we can deploy to the benefit of our members and through our tournaments, and it gives us capital to deploy in growth businesses that ultimately will generate a return that we’ll reinvest in our players.’
Asked if the likes of Woods – who rejected a reported £650m – and McIlroy would be compensated for turning down lucrative offers from LIV, or whether those who took massive pay-outs to join the breakaway would have to pay that money back, Monahan said: ‘I think those are all the serious conversations that we’re going to have.
‘Ultimately everything needs to be considered. Ultimately what you’re talking about is an equalisation over time and I think that’s a fair and reasonable concept.’