“Don’t Try to Burn the Place Down”: Rory McIlroy Requests the Saudi League Pros Amid the LIV Golf-Tour Merger

Rory McIlroy may have stepped down from the PGA Tour Board as a crucial member, but his love and respect for the Tour remain intact. The split of the Tour that came with the arrival of LIV Golf has left him hurting, and whenever the rival league managed to get one player from the PGAT to their side, it deepened the wounds that were already there in his heart.

With many important players already lost and amidst the delayed merger, the Irish PGA Tour loyalist has an important message for those denouncing the Tour after breaking ties with it.

Rory McIlroy requests defectors not add insult to injury by badmouthing PGAT

Recently, McIlroy appeared on the Stick to Football Podcast, where, despite the name of the show, there were some deep chats about the current situation in golf. First, the Irishman made it clear that he was not against the decision of players who left to make more money. But he also requested that they not ruin the name of the American Tour, as many players like him still like to play in it.

McIlroy said, “Don’t try to burn the place down on your way out. Yeah, you know, I think that’s sort of my attitude towards it because some people are happy playing, you know, in the existing structure.” He understands that, at the end of the day, golfers are playing to make money and do not begrudge anyone for taking up the new offer, and we are against them. He also hoped that the differences between the PGAT and LIV Golf would end one day.

The 4x major winner continued, “And that’s totally fine, too. But I think it’s just created this division that hopefully will stop in the near future because I think it’s the best thing for golf.” But what bothers him is that all the giant names who were once given a platform to display their skills, but after switching to LIV start talking “cr*p” about where they come from. 

He feels those defectors wouldn’t be in this position had they first achieved glory through the traditional Tour. So if they are not grateful, they shouldn’t be criticizing as well. Meanwhile, he also had another suggestion for the rival league concerning financial matters.

McIlroy’s suggestion on financial investment in LIV Golf

While the negotiations are still going on, he had another suggestion for the rival tour, where he swiftly suggested that despite wasting $100 million or more, they should be investing in the USGA and R&A. This will ultimately fit well with their popular slogan of growing the game. The ugly fight between the Saudi-backed league and the PGA Tour is much more unstable.

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While the merger process has improved things compared to the past, the loss is still on the side of the PGAT, as despite its best efforts, it has ended up losing numerous talented players to the Saudi Tour. In such a situation, when a defector goes on to badmouth their previous league, it further damages their reputation, and McIlroy is trying his best to save it.

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