Rory McIlroy says he's taken "a good first step" towards mending his fractured friendship with Sergio Garcia.
The Northern Irishman was a groomsman at Garcia's wedding to Angela Akins before the inception of LIV Golf drove a massive wedge between the pair, who found themselves on opposite sides of the schism that rocked the men's professional game.
We reported last July that there had been a "complete deterioration" in the relationship, while as recently as January this year McIlroy said there was "no way" they could rekindle their friendship.
However, after the shock news that the PGA Tour had agreed to merge with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia that bankrolls LIV Golf, Garcia revealed he and McIlroy were on better terms following peace talks at the US Open.
Referring to McIlroy, the Spaniard said: "It wasn't because of the merger, but the US Open a week and a half ago, it was a great event for me. Not obviously you would say why. I finished 27th. Not only because of that. I feel like I played well.
“But more than anything, because I gained a friend back, a friend that I kind of felt like I lost in the last year or so. We talked and we had a great conversation, and I feel like I have that friend back, and that to me means a lot. That's a very positive thing."
Garcia also paid tribute to his wife, who acted as the catalyst in ending the feud, adding: "Angela and Rory, they said hi to each other at the US Open and then there was a nice text from Rory to her and that kind of gave me the go ahead to reach out to him.
"I had been thinking about it for a while but I wasn’t totally sure. But then I saw that reaction from him and it kind of gave me the incentive to get closer and we had a great chat."
Following his victory at the Scottish Open, McIlroy was asked where things stood with Garcia from his perspective.
"I'd say, yeah, we've talked, which is a first step," McIlroy said. "There's things that we both think we probably could have done differently, and there's a lot that's went into it.
"You know, it's good that we're at least talking again. It's a first step. I wouldn't say we are all the way there but we are -- it's a good first step."
