Ever since LIV Golf came into existence, it has had to face a lot of criticism from many people, including Rory McIlroy. He has openly criticized the Norman-led league. He also expressed his views on the PGA Tour players who have left their tour and joined the controversial league.

However, in recent days, it seems he has softened his stance on the league and has admitted he was “too judgemental” of those who defected to LIV Golf. The Northern Irish golfer has expressed his frustration with some of the ex-PGA Tour players. 

Rory McIlroy Criticized LIV Golf Defectors

The 34-year-old recently sat down in a podcast called ‘Stick to Football’ and opened up about what bothers him about the golfers who have joined LIV Golf. Additionally, he also chats about supporting his boyhood team, Manchester United. McIlroy has been vocal in his opposition to LIV Golf and was annoyed by the way some of the defectors have spoken negatively about their former tours. Which, according to him, gave them a platform to showcase their talents and build their profiles. 

He also highlighted the hypocrisy and said, “So when people play, have played that for, say, 15 or 20 years, and then they jumped to live, and then they just start talking cr*p about where they’ve come from. That’s what bothers me because it’s like, Well, you wouldn’t be in this position.”

The seasoned golfer compared this situation to changing clubs and hoped that players who have moved to LIV Golf would appreciate what their previous tours did for them. Instead of bashing them, they should be a little polite to tour who shape their career. Even though he criticized golfers who spoke ill about their previous tours, his anti-LIV sentiment seems softened.

Rory McIlroy’s soft stance on LIV Golf 

The 4x Major winner heavily criticized LIV Golf when the Saudi-backed league launched in 2022. He accused LIV golfers of leaving all their peers behind to make more money. 

Also Read: After His LIV Golf Defection, Jon Rahm Expresses ‘Utmost Respect’ for Rory McIlroy as His Biggest Fear Gets a Relieving Remedy

However, recently, when his compatriot Jon Rahm jumped to the Saudi circuit, he took a different stance. In fact, he had “nothing but good things to say about Jon” and supported his comment on playing in the Ryder Cup. However, it would be interesting to see how the upcoming season unfolds.

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