Rory McIlroy suffered another PGA meltdown at The Memorial after LIV Golf rebel Phil Mickelson put him on blast in a fresh swipe, claiming his fellow competitors wouldn't want him on the tour.
Former golf world NO1 McIlroy has been one of the loudest voices against the Saudi-funded breakaway tour, which Mickelson and many other top pros left for in 2022. The likes of Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, and Bubba Watson, among others, all joined Mickelson on the breakaway tour.
Responding to an interview where McIlroy picked holes in his own game, Mickelson said: "As worn out as Mclroy was after the Masters and his need for an off-season, LIV would be perfect for him. Problem is I don’t think there’s a team that wants him on it because they’d have to deal with all his bs.”
And what followed Mickelson's dig was a final round collapse at The Memorial. He started strong, making a par on the first three holes, then a birdie on the par-3 4th, but then went bogey, birdie, bogey, bogey, and par to go out in 37.
A bogey got McIlroy back to even par on the round at the 11th but crumbled shortly after. McIlroy went 3-under in the tournament and his putting, as well as his wedge, has been attributed to his downfall at The Memorial.
Viktor Hovland claimed his fourth PGA Tour title as McIlroy finished seventh, and his blow-up caught the attention of Jack Nicklaus, who sought out golf's world No3 after the tournament's conclusion. "We have to sit down and chat sometime,” he told McIlroy.
McIlroy will defend his Canadian Open crown in Toronto next week and the 33-year-old will be hoping to find his feet before the US Open, with his wait for a major nearing a decade.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” the Northern Irish golf star said. “I feel a little better about everything compared to where I was a couple weeks ago at Oak Hill. It’s obviously not the result that I wanted today, but I feel like there were a few more positives than there were a couple weeks ago.”
McIlroy and Mickelson will compete at the US Open later this month. Another 11 LIV Golf rebels are listed to take part. Abraham Ancer, Bryson DeChambeau, Garcia, Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Koepka, Joaquin Niemann, Mito Pereira, Thomas Pieters, Patrick Reed, and Cameron Smith will also tee off in California.
