The announcement of the PIF-PGA Tour merger left a sour taste in the mouths of many PGA Tour players, with Grayson Murray emerging as one of the loudest critics of the $3 billion merger, which also led him to lock horns with world No. 2. While doing so, his enraged, two-word reply to Rory McIlroy lingered around the golf world for quite some time.

But how the tables have turned on McIlroy! Even after playing in two different events, the four-time major champion faced humiliation at the hands of Murray. In the early hours of Monday, the Northern Irishman lost his first event of 2024. Contrastingly, Murray won his first event and bagged his second victory on the PGA Tour.

Grayson Murray’s fitting reply to Rory McIlroy’s jibe

Six months ago, the PGA Tour announced the PIF-PGA Tour-DP World Tour merger, leaving the Tour pros infuriated and feeling betrayed by the league. As a result, the CEO, Jay Monahan, decided to convene a meeting with the golfers, during which a serious altercation unfolded involving Rory McIlroy and Grayson Murray.

As per the Telegraph, while Monahan was addressing the players, the two-time PGA Tour winner shouted at him and stated, ‘We don’t trust you, Jay! You lied to our faces.’ In response, McIlroy took a jab at the then 227th-ranked player and said, ‘Just play better, Grayson.’ to which Murray replied in anger, “F**k off,” to the Irish golfer.

It has been a while since the heated argument between the golfers took place, and Murray has finally delivered a fitting reply through his game, winning in Hawaii. In contrast, McIlroy has left his dream of winning the opening event of his 2024 season unfulfilled. While Murray celebrated a victory in Hawaii, the 24-time PGA Tour winner suffered a loss to Tommy Fleetwood in Dubai.”

The curse of McIlroy, of always being second best, has followed him in this season as well. Now, with the loss, the golf world is also drawing parallels between McIlroy’s defeat and Murray’s victory. The golf enthusiasts are having fun pulling the leg of the Northern Irishman.

The golf world asks Rory McIlroy to “play better”

Rory McIlroy is known for speaking his mind. When in June he took a dig at Grayson Murray, he would not have expected things to turn out as they did. On the same day, Grayson won while McIlory lost, and the “play better” advice came back to bite him. Fans haven’t forgotten, and it seems they don’t want McIlroy to forget either.

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Kyle Porter from the CBS Podcast recounted the June debate and shared a screenshot of the same. He highlighted a fact that in the last 13 starts of Murray, he has won twice (including the Korn Ferry Tour victory), and maybe the taunt by McIlroy hit Murray hard.

Another fan replied to Porter and compared the putts taken by both golfers. While Murray made a 39-foot putt, McIlroy could not make a 2-foot putt.

Big Boy Pants, a golf YouTube channel, also took a jibe at 4x major champion. It said that now Murray can turn around and take a jibe at McIlroy in a similar manner.

Another golf writer, Mark Harris, applauded the “impeccable timing from the Golf Gods,” as the win and loss by two M’s came on the same day and after the debate they had in June.

Joe I, a golf forecaster, found the McIlroy gagged in Dubai while Murray made a stunning clutch. He then rallied him back to his previous comments.

Replying to Joe I, one fan counted how karma works in strange ways.

Another golf enthusiast joked about seeing the two golfers together. They hoped to see them in future pairings of the PGA Tour events.

The jibe has certainly come back to haunt McIlroy. In the future, the sharp-tongued Irishman will be cautious about getting involved in any arguments or saying things that might come back at the wrong time.

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