‘It’s a First Step’: Days After Ending Feud, Rory McIlroy Reveals His Vigilant Approach to Improving Friendship With Sergio Garcia

In the press conference that followed his triumph at the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open, Rory McIlroy gleefully touched upon several iconic moments from the tournament. However, the conversation took a more somber turn when the Irishman was asked a question about LIV’s Sergio Garcia.

Earlier, Garcia revealed that the US Open at LACC had helped him make peace with McIlroy. It came as a pleasant surprise to many, considering the fact that the Spaniard had once branded the former Ryder Cup teammate as “immature.” So, are the two on their way back to being great friends again? Well, the 4-time major winner had a rather tactful answer up his sleeve on Sunday for that.

Rory McIlroy reveals the details of his current relationship with Sergio Garcia

In the aftermath of the large-scale defection to the Saudi-backed LIV league last year, the golf world went through several drastic changes. One of the most glaring outcomes, however, was the change in dynamics between players. Two golfers whose friendship soured over time were Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia.

In the past, the two had ushered in several amazing Ryder Cup achievements together. Both used to be such great friends that McIlroy even served as the groomsman at the Spanish pro’s wedding in 2017. But the former’s goodwill toward Garcia took a hit as a result of his LIV move. During the 2022 RBC Canadian Open, McIlroy even admitted to deleting his former friend’s number!

Currently, the golf world is once again undergoing massive upheaval due to the $3 billion PGAT-LIV merger. As the golf world wondered about the changes that would take place as a result of the union, Garcia came out to reveal that he and McIlroy were mending their bridges. Now, the 34-year-old has responded.

“There’s things that we both think we probably could have done differently, and there’s a lot that’s went into it,” McIlroy expressed in the presser following his Scottish Open win. “It’s good that we’re at least talking again. It’s a first step. I wouldn’t say we are all the way there, but we are—it’s a good first step.”

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Golf fans will unfortunately not be able to witness any interactions between the two in the coming days. While McIlroy will be descending upon Hoylake this week in hopes of ending his major drought, Garcia has unfortunately failed to qualify for the event.

How did McIlroy and Garcia reconcile at the 2023 US Open?

Last month, Rory McIlroy took home several notable memories from the US Open in Los Angeles. After all, he not only lost the title by mere inches but also ended his brief dispute with Sergio Garcia. Per the LIV pro, it was McIlroy who had made the first move!

Apparently, the Northern Irish player had gotten in touch with Garcia’s wife, Angela. “Obviously, Angela, and Erica [McIlroy’s wife], they said ‘Hi’ to each other at the US Open, and there was a nice text from Rory to her, and that kind of gave me the incentive to reach out to him,” shared the 2017 Masters. “I have been thinking about it for a while, but I wasn’t totally sure about it.”

As the controversial PGAT-LIV merger further takes shape, it will be interesting to see how the relationship between the two will improve down the road. The evolving golf landscape also leaves the door open for Garcia’s possible return to the European Ryder Cup team!

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What do you think of Rory McIlroy’s latest comments? Let us know in the comments!