Everyone knows Dubai’s significance in Rory McIlroy’s career. This place has been good to him, and he has achieved so much here. Now that he is back here for the DPWT Championship, chasing Colin Montgomerie’s record of eight titles, and feeling confident, his one move didn’t sit right with fans.

He shared a picture with the Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who frontlined the city’s global sport and tourism aspirations. “Honored to spend time with @HamdanMohammed today. Dubai has been a huge part of my career, and the people and hospitality continue to make it one of my favorite places to play,” he wrote. The two met on the eve of his Dubai campaign at the Earth Course in the Jumeirah Golf Estates.

This post started a wave across social media within minutes. The simple Dubai meetup turned into a debate coliseum. Some fans were glad to see McIlroy meeting Dubai royalty, whereas others gave off a suspicious tone, a few criticising him as well. For many, this hinted at LIV, but the UAE has always seen Rory roar.

The Northern Irishman has an astonishing record at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. He has four T2 and five T3 finishes in 13 appearances. He has won the Dubai Desert Classic 4 times. He has also bagged the DP World Tour Championship at the Jumeirah Golf Estates 6 times, but last year’s victory was special, as it tied his record with Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros, leaving him teary-eyed.

“It’s really cool,” Rory McIlroy said, fighting back the tears after the victory. “I think everyone knows what Seve means to European golf and Ryder Cup players. He means so much to European golf, and for me to be mentioned in the same breath, I’m very proud.” Now, he has returned as one of the world’s best after a spectacular season to defend his title and is looking confident.

“I really like that golf course. It really suits me. Probably suits me a little bit better than this course does this week, just in terms of what you need to do off the tee and into the greens. Yeah, look, this was a great confidence-builder this week coming off a couple weeks off, and hopefully we just produce more of the same next Thursday and onwards,” McIlroy said about Jumeirah Golf Estates in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Dubai has flourished under Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He has been successful in steadily transforming the land into a global golf powerhouse. The city has invested in a class-apart infrastructure and arranged events like the Desert Classic and the Tour Championship to draw cream fields and broadcast reach. Also, he has embraced fitness and participation initiatives through the Dubai Fitness Challenge. With this, the golf community is exploring global markets rather than being U.S.-centric.

Given Rory McIlroy’s take on LIV Golf, how it has changed over the years, after this post, fans speculated that it is not only for goodwill, but maybe the golfer is bringing a deeper connection with Dubai.

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Rory McIlroy’s meetup fuels LIV Golf talk

One fan wrote, “So it’s only bad for the LIV guys to associate with the Saudis, got it.” That’s a straight shot against Rory’s previous stance against LIV’s Saudi backing.

Another chimed in, “I thought you said it was blood money when LIV players did it?” Referencing his scathing early takes on LIV defectors, critics alluded to hypocrisy.

A person teased, “Did you ask him about possibly funding a new tour?” because Dubai has deep pockets and global sports ambitions, similar to Saudi investment.

Then there was this: “Just make the jump to LIV official already,” as if this meeting resembled a soft launch.

The last one: “Where are all the golf retards crying about oil money supporting LIV?” insinuated that fans indeed apply double standards depending on the player. Together, these comments show just how inextricably linked McIlroy’s name is with the LIV conversation, even when he’s not talking about it.

The fan reactions tell us how susceptible fans are to the power shift golf is undergoing. Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and the PGA-LIV pandemonium rest in one emotional turmoil. This post has left people wondering if this was just friendly diplomacy or a hint toward something bigger.