Rory McIlroy’s comments on LIV Golf stars at majors as Bryson DeChambeau beats him to US Open
Rory McIlroy narrowly missed out on clinching the U.S. Open title on Sunday, finishing just behind Bryson DeChambeau. This marks his fourth runner-up finish in a major tournament since 2014, adding to a string of near-misses in his illustrious career. Last year, McIlroy passionately asserted that the Masters, along with the other major championships—the PGA…
Rory McIlroy narrowly missed out on clinching the U.S. Open title on Sunday, finishing just behind Bryson DeChambeau. This marks his fourth runner-up finish in a major tournament since 2014, adding to a string of near-misses in his illustrious career.
Last year, McIlroy passionately asserted that the Masters, along with the other major championships—the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and the Open Championship—should stand above the controversies surrounding LIV Golf. Speaking ahead of the Masters at Augusta National, the 35-year-old stated, “Look, it’s a narrative and a storyline, but the Masters and the four major championships sit above all that noise, and that’s the way it should be this week.”
Since making those comments, McIlroy’s stance on LIV Golf has evolved, especially with the ongoing discussions about a potential merger between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed tour. In December, he shared his more nuanced perspective on LIV Golf, acknowledging its role in highlighting the shortcomings of the current golfing system. “I think what LIV has done is it’s exposed the flaws in the system of [golf], because we’re all supposed to be independent contractors and we can pick and choose what tournaments we want to play,” said the four-time Major champion.
He elaborated on the impact of LIV Golf, noting that it has revealed a critical issue: the inability of the PGA Tour to guarantee player participation at sponsored events. “But I think what LIV and the Saudis have exposed is that if you’re going on a tour and you’re asking sponsors for millions of dollars to sponsor these events, and you’re not able to guarantee to the sponsors that the players are going to show up. I can’t believe the PGA Tour has done so well for so long. It’s exposed some flaws in the system that hopefully golf will have a look at more. If we’re going to ask these people for so much money, we need to be able to guarantee them what they’re getting.”
In January, McIlroy further reflected on his initial criticism of LIV Golf, admitting he had perhaps been too harsh. He acknowledged, “I think at this point, I was maybe a little judgmental of the guys who went to LIV Golf at the start, and I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part because I now realize that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Woods’ position. We all turn professionals to make a living playing the sports that we do, and I think that’s what I realized over the last two years. I can’t judge people for making that decision, so if I regret anything, it was probably being too judgmental at the start.”
McIlroy’s evolving views highlight a broader shift in the golfing world, as the sport grapples with significant changes and the potential for new alliances and structures.