Rory McIlroy has slammed his fellow golfers who have joined the LIV golf series. The Irishman has launched multiple waves of criticism on the controversial breakaway circuit founded by Greg Norman.
The 32-year-old said he was surprised by the "duplicitous" behaviour of some of the golfers who turned their back on the PGA Tour. "Am I surprised?" asked McIlroy ahead of the Travelers Championship. "Yes, because of what he [Koepka] said previously.
“I think that's why I'm surprised at a lot of these guys because they say one thing and then they do another, and I don't understand that and I don't know if that's for legal reasons or if they can't - I have no idea. But it's pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing…the whole way through, in public and private, all of it." His comments came after Brooks Koepka became the latest star to join the Saudi-backed series.
He will compete in the LIV Golf Invitational Portland, which commences on June 30 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Oregon. The controversial circuit continues to gain more recruits and Norman, LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner, is delighted the tour is continuing to build momentum. “There’s no understating the impact that Brooks Koepka has had on the game of golf in the last five years," he shared in the statement announcing their latest signing.
"He carries a championship pedigree and record of success as one of the most elite players in the world. The addition of Brooks is yet another example of the incredible fields LIV Golf is assembling as we build momentum in our first season and look towards the future.”
The 32-year-old is the latest big name to join the likes of Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson in jumping ship from the PGA Tour. The u-turn comes after he previously criticised Phil Mickelson for his 'greed' in joining the Saudi series.
With more-and-more players tempted by the massive purses of the LIV Series, McIlroy called on the PGA and DP (formerly European) Tours to conjure up a plan. "I’ve always advocated for something where the tours work more closely together or we create some sort of world tour model or ATP model," said the four-times major winner.
"I would like to see the PGA Tour and the European Tour start to work more closely together and maybe try to forge a path to where all the biggest golf events in the world are under the same umbrella.” McIlroy in Connecticut this week, his fourth event in a row, and he admits it is taking its toll physically and mentally.
“I definitely feel like a little bit of fatigue (is) setting in. I got a night in my own bed down in Florida on Monday night, which was really nice, but I came back up here yesterday and played the pro-am today,” he told a press conference at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell. "I must say yesterday my head hit the pillow and I was out so (some) mental fatigue after sitting through a five-hour board meeting (with tour officials) and trying to get through some of these issues.”
