Rory McIlroy says ‘if LIV was the last place to play golf on earth, I would retire’

Rory McIlroy has said he would retire before joining LIV Golf as he addressed a finding from a US Senate hearing that the Saudi-backed tour wanted to make him team captain.

Mail Sport reported Tuesday that the controversial LIV Golf League proposed Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods to own franchises on the Rebel Tour during negotiations over its shock merger with the PGA Tour.

The sporting world was shocked last month by the surprising commercial resemblance between the traditional track and the LIV series breakaway.

McIlroy, who has always been an outspoken critic of the Saudi-backed tour, spoke after opening his Scottish Open tournament with a six-under-par 64.

“If LIV Golf was the last place in the world to play golf, I’d retire,” he said.

Greg Norman, two-time grand winner and CEO of LIV Golf, hired to return to work in Summer 2021

McIroy spoke about Norman’s LIV series after opening six-under par 64 at the Scottish Open

‘That’s how I feel about it. I’d play the majors, but I’d feel pretty comfortable.”

Leading up to golf’s shock merger between the two rival tours, it was revealed at the hearing this week that peace brokers engaged by the Saudi Public Investment Fund also pitched the idea of ​​Tiger Woods and McIlroy playing in about 10 LIV tournaments.

Woods, like McIlroy, was one of the vehement critics of the breakout tour and reportedly turned down a $700 million-$800 million offer to join the series.

McIlroy didn’t hold back shortly after the “framework deal” was announced weeks ago between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF, saying “I still hate LIV.”

Details of LIV’s plans to try to win over and use two of the sport’s biggest stars have been made by a Senate subcommittee scrutinizing foreign involvement in a U.S. sports league and investigating possible antitrust violations.

The revelations confirmed the key role Newcastle United director Amanda Staveley played in the peace talks, as first revealed by Mail Sport.

There were suggestions from the PGA Tour side to terminate Greg Norman’s role as CEO of LIV, which was apparently rejected.

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan had battled LIV Golf for about two years as the league, funded by Saudi Arabia’s national wealth fund, snatched top players from the traditional tour.

On June 6, Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund, announced that they would be working together.

Some top players feel Jay Monahan needs to regain trust after leaving members in the dark

Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Public Investment Fund (R), have announced a merger

Some top players believe Monahan, who will return to work on July 17 after stepping down due to a ‘medical situation’, needs to regain confidence after leaving members in the dark about the turnaround.

“I would say he has a lot of tough questions to answer on his return,” said Xander Schauffele at the Scottish Open on Wednesday.

And yes, I don’t trust people easily. He had my trust and he has much less now.

“So I’m not alone in saying that.”

When asked if Monahan would have any trust issues with the players, Jordan Spieth added: “Quite a lot, just based on conversations I’ve had with players. And I think he realizes that. I’m sure he’s preparing a plan to try and rebuild it.”