‘A Big Chunk Of Their Legacy..’: Despite Siding With PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy Makes Contrasting Comments About Sergio Garcia and Other LIV Defectors

Despite LIV Golf’s undeniable offers to golf pros on the PGA Tour and the European Tour, there were many who chose the legacy of the Tours over the hefty paychecks. Rory McIlroy was notably one of these top players, who chose to stay back and continue playing on the PGA Tour.

However, as per recent updates, some of his old colleagues have now stepped out on the DP World Tour. And his reaction to the news was enough to understand how big of an impact this is going to leave on the future of golf, especially on the Ryder Cup.

Rory McIlroy reacts to the latest DP World Tour news

LIV Golf took several talented players away from the PGA Tour as well as the DP World Tour with its lucrative offers. Although the golfers received huge paychecks for their unexpected transitions, their controversial decision came at an even bigger cost! As clearly claimed by their former Tour, players would no longer have access to their Tour memberships once they chose to shake hands with the Saudi League. And despite repetitive disclaimers, numerous golf stars including Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, etc., chose to go and play at LIV Golf events.

Nonetheless, they have finally come to terms with the disappointing consequences of their actions. And as per recent updates, all three of these players have given up on their DP World Tour memberships. This decision of theirs will now also affect their future in golf, including their inability to participate in the Ryder Cup ever again! As upsetting as it is for the fans, other golfers are also extremely unhappy about the situation. And giving his honest opinion about the matter, Irish star Rory McIlroy called it “a shame”.

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“It’s a shame that you’ve got the highest-point scorer in the Ryder Cup,” he said. “When they look back on their career…a big chunk of their legacy is the roles that they played in the Ryder Cup for Europe, and you know for those three guys to not Captain Europe one day, it’s a shame.”

Were LIV Golf defectors aware of these consequences?

The PGA Tour immediately took away the memberships of several players who chose to shift to the Saudi circuit back when it was launched. However, that didn’t stop tons of other players from making the same decision for themselves a few weeks later. Thus, it is safe to say that all these golfers including Westwood, Poulter, and Garcia, were well aware of how things would turn out for them before they made their decision.

Concluding his statements about the situation, McIlroy pointed to this and spoke about how the LIV Golf defectors were responsible for their own career choices. “As the DP World Tour said in their statement…at the end of the day, that was their choice and they knew these were potentially going to be consequences of those choices,” he said.

But considering the fact that, despite their lost memberships, the players who jumped ship were eventually allowed to participate in the 2023 Masters, it is still too soon to jump to any conclusions about their future in golf!

Do you think there is a chance for fans to see any of these players at the upcoming Ryder Cup? Let us know in the comments section.

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