Rory McIlroy hits out at ‘selfish’ stars who are ‘fracturing’ golf with LIV defection

PGA Tour suspends players participating in LIV Golf series

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Rory McIlroy has hit out at “selfish” golf stars who have defected to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series. And the four-time major champion thinks their decision to go against the PGA Tour will “fracture the game.”

“If it keeps going the way it’s going, it’s going to fracture the game more than it already is – because the professional world in golf has already been fractured,” the 33-year-old said on Tuesday. There’s so many different tours, so many things to follow. I’ve always been an advocate of trying to make it more cohesive and trying to get people to work together more. And this is ripping that apart.

“If people want to spend money in the game – not regardless of where that money comes from – if the Saudis are hell-bent on spending money in golf, let’s try to get it spent in a way that benefits the wider eco-system. I think that’s where I would like to see it going. But whether that happens or not, that remains to be seen.

“Betrayal is a very strong word. It’s disappointing. The players that have decided to stay on the PGA Tour maybe feel slighted in some way or feel like those guys have been selfish because it’s for personal gain and doesn’t help the entire [field]. In any industry or any business we all have to lift each other up and try to make it as best we can for everyone.

“And if those guys thought outside of themselves they’d see that this wasn’t best for everyone. So that’s my point of view on it but everyone has their own goals and their own ambitions and their own thoughts and they have to do what they feel is right for themselves.”

Blockbuster stars Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood have all signed-up to play in the LIV Golf Series, with the inaugural event taking place at the Centurion Club in Hertfordshire earlier this month

Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel came out on top of that event with a one-stroke victory to land himself a staggering £3.86million. And McIlroy has admitted he would prefer to be talking about other things.

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“It’s certainly a burden I don’t need,” McIlroy added. “I have pretty strong views on the subject and I don’t think it would be right for me to have these strong opinions and at least not share them. I think I’m providing the commentary for a different thought process that’s shared by a lot of people. I think that’s the thing.

“I’m put in front of a camera more than most. And that’s why everyone’s hearing from me all the time about this subject. I certainly don’t want to keep answering questions about it but they keep being raised and I’m doing my best to try to answer them.”

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