It feels quite some time now since Rory McIlroy was actively speaking out about LIV Golf and what it had brought to the table.
McIlroy was a vocal advocate for the PGA Tour and openly criticised the LIV tour for disrupting the equilibrium in golf at the time.
Now, a few years down the line and with meetings taking place between the PGA, LIV, and Donald Trump, it does look like golf is getting towards a place where things are back together…of sorts.
For McIlroy, the journey over the past few years has been up and down and he’s now at a point where he’s speaking more positively about LIV than against it.
Indeed, McIlroy recently admitted LIV had beneffited him, in terms of financials anyway, while McIlroy has also spoken positively about the team element of LIV.
Of course, with Netflix’s Full Swing set to launch a new season three next week, it’s worth looking back at McIlroy’s comments and looking just how much his opinion has changed in that time, while making clear just how loyal McIlroy is to PGA chief, Jay Monahan.
What Rory McIory said previously about LIV Golf and Jay Monahan
The Full Swing series offers a unique insight into the mind of the professional golfer and Rory McIlroy is one of the major stars of season two.
In that series, McIlroy is open in his commitment to the PGA Tour, while also admitting he probably over-egged his initial role in shooting down LIV.
“With what happened with LIV last year and what’s happening, I have a pretty strong conviction of what I think professional golf should be. What it should look like, how competitive it should be, and I want to stand up for that,” McIlroy said at the time on Full Swing S2, Episode One.
‘People like to choose one side or another. If you have your finger on the pulse of golf, it’s pretty apparent that one side has a lot more support than the other.”
However, in terms of the position of group leader he put himself in, McIlroy also admitted it had affected his daily schedules, albeit it did allow his friendship with Monahan to blossom.
“I think this role that I’ve thrust into, as sort of spokesman, or leader or whatever it is, it’s certainly not something that I asked for. I didn’t go to Jay and say ‘hey let me lead’,” he added. “
I maybe put myself in the position without really knowing it. I would say I’m closer to Jay though than any other players on tour, that would be my relationship with him. It was Jay and myself who were doing a lot of critiques of LIV. The top players in the world are saying no, so that has to tell you something. I’ve always been an advocate of trying to make golf more cohesive and this is ripping that apart, so, you know. With leadership comes some sacrifice and my days do get filled up with ‘stuff’.
Is Rory McIlroy swallowing his pride in the hope of golf being healed?
Rory McIlroy has been an outstanding candidate and spokesperson for the PGA Tour and he remains one of the most knowledgable and likeable characters in the game.
However, when you look at this comments on LIV now and how passionate he was in his criticism of them back in 2022/23, it’s clear even he has had enough.
McIlroy simply wants to compete against the best and prove himself time and again. Yes, he is already a multi-millionaire so doesn’t need to worry about finances, which can help resist any temptation from LIV.
But in the main, McIlroy is a player who wears his heart on his sleeve and will say what he feels is right in that moment.
Right now, it feels he’s very much done fighting the cause and ultimately, just wants a resolution so he can focus on golf and finally winning that fifth major.
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