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Fed Up With the ‘Fractured’ System, Rory McIlroy Surprisingly Embraces the $3B Merger as a Possible Solution, Despite His Distaste Against LIV Golf

Published 09/12/2023, 8:20 PM EDT

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via Reuters

Rory McIlroy has had an exceptional season on the greens with his near-wins in numerous tournaments. The Northern Irishman is coming off another good performance at the Horizon Irish Open, where he finished with nine-under-par. While the insight from the K Club Ryder Course is still fresh, the 34-year-old took to a recent podcast with Subpar as he pondered upon his current form, the anticipated Ryder Cup, and the overall season.

Interestingly, one of the questions that cropped up was the famous $3 billion merger between the DP World Tour, PGA Tour, and LIV Golf. Months after the merger’s initiation, the stance of the 4-time major winner has attracted the attention of the golf world. This time, though, it is through some strong remarks and a candor outlook toward LIV players.

Addressing the fracturing factor of golf, Rory McIlroy expresses a heartfelt wish featuring LIV golfers

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In the very beginning of the podcast, Rory McIlroy seemed all in for giving out authentic responses and expressing his perspective to the core. He started by recalling one of his press conferences at the Tour Championship and how he had addressed being excited about the changes occurring on the PGA Tour.

Not only had he talked about the “designated event model” but also the opportunity for the best players around the world to come together and play frequently. According to the 34-year-old golfer, those are the upgrades the game requires. Soon, the golfer shifted toward the game of golf having become “fractured” because of LIV Golf.

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The golf star explained the factor that pissed him off the most. It was the point of the game getting hindered due to the inclusion of LIV Golf in the scene. While he mentioned wanting to continue playing with great players under the LIV banner like Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, and Bryson DeChambeau, he exclaimed about how much it “sucks” not being able to do so.

Sidelining his hatred for LIV Golf with regard to the disruption caused, he talked about the chance to fix all the concerns. The aim for the golfer remained to figure out the matter and “make the professional games just a bit more harmonious.” His intention continued to sway toward wanting to compete with the best out there instead of just about 4 times in the whole year during the major championships.

McIlroy believes the billion-dollar alliance to be the answer to the missing competition

While the Northern Irish golfer put forth his honest feelings concerning the billion-dollar coalition that took place in June this season, he had only one aim in mind – more competitive golf. This highlighted the presence of LIV golfers more on the field and not restricted to the major events.

He believed that the merger that shook the golf world a couple of months back might be able to ignite this once again. Commenting on the same, McIlroy said that if the collaboration is done the right way, then everyone can sort of come together once more to “make the game less fractured.”

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via Reuters

This was the best possible solution for the 34-year-old as he called LIV Golf a catalyst in bringing about these changes. For the golfer, his only focus was on improving golf as a game. As he reflected on the increased importance of the major tournaments because of LIV Golf, he also said that this has somehow sent golf in a really “bad spot.”

Thus, it becomes salient for golf to exceed its relevance more than just a few weeks of majors over the season. “If that means getting us all together and playing against one another more often. I’m all for that!” Rory McIlroy buried the hatchet with this last statement on the said matter.

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What do you think of the 24-time PGA Tour winner’s unwavering stance concerning LIV Golf and the billion-dollar alliance? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Written by:

Areeba Basharat

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Areeba Basharat is a Golf writer at EssentiallySports. She drives inspiration from the women players at the LPGA who've taken the sport to a level that allows female golfers to flourish and thrive with grace. Areeba defines her love for the sport by quoting legend, Michelle Wie West : "The first time I grabbed a golf club, I knew that I would do it for the rest of my life."
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Edited by:

Sharan Nair

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