‘Not the Big Loser’: Tiger Woods’s Former Coach Defends Rory McIlroy’s $100M LIV Rejection, but Reveals a Rough PGA Tour Reality

It appears Rory McIlroy has earned the support of many! His recent comments on how the Northern Irishman was too harsh on the LIV golf professionals seem to have raked in a frenzy of responses from the community. However, Hank Haney was quick to extend his hand to the 34-year-old in a tweet, replying to a subtle jab at the golfer.

The American instructor, who once taught Tiger Woods, mentioned how the PGA Tour pro was “definitely not the big loser” when a follower indicated how he missed out on “a $100 million payday.” Moreover, he made sure to point out how “plenty of others lost out on once-in-a-lifetime opportunities” while McIlroy “did just fine,” alluding to his success on the men’s circuit and the money he has earned.

The golfer had initially been very critical of the Saudi-backed league and its players. However, down the lane, his stance started to change, leading to a recent interview in which the athlete mentioned how he has been “too judgemental of players joining LIV” all the while indicating how it “exposed the flaws in the system”.

Rory McIlroy turns softie for LIV Golf

Following the defection of his Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm, the European pro boldly stated that the rules for the DP World Tour have to undergo some change to include the Spaniard in the mix. Moreover, he was staunch in his stance about wanting Rahm as a teammate for the next edition of the prestigious tournament in Bethpage.

But what surprised the community was the twenty-four-time PGA Tour champ’s recent comments on LIV Golf. In an exclusive interview on the latest episode of Stick to Football, McIlroy pointed out how “not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Woods’ position” all the while expressing his regret for “being too judgemental at the start.”

Adding on, the 2X PGA Championship winner even confessed how he has just accepted that the PIF-funded circuit is “part of our sport now.” Moreover, commenting on the unhealthy competition and chaos between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, he indicated how both the former contesting against the latter and the money they have are “completely unsustainable” for golf.

However, the reformed response from the Northern Irishman went ahead and blew up in the community. Many in the golfing world came forward to express their views, and joining them was Haney, who conveyed his opinion of how fighting the PIF was just a bad plan from the start. However, another enthusiast went ahead to mention how the 2011 U.S. Open winner lost out on a potential deal with LIV Golf owing to his aggressive stance, which further evoked Haney’s response mentioned in the beginning.

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Well, he has now become one of the biggest examples of how people can change over time. Maturing over time is an excellent trait for any person to have, especially an athlete such as Rory McIlroy. Nevertheless, what his renewed stance entails for the golfing world, only time will tell!

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