Rory McIlroy has been one of golf’s most outspoken critics of the LIV Golf Invitational Series, and he kept it up this weekend.
McIlroy entered the final round of the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open tied for the lead at 11 under, and he made a not-so-subtle jab at the breakaway LIV Golf tour when speaking to reporters on Saturday. McIlroy said the final round of the PGA event will be “more entertaining than what other golf was played this weekend,” hinting at LIV’s opener at the Centurion Club in London.
“With everything that’s gone on in the golf world this week, is there anything in that that would make a win tomorrow feel sweeter or perhaps more significant? Not necessarily. Every win is sweet, and every win’s significant,” McIlroy said, per Golf.com.
“You look at it out there today. I mean it’s certainly the best atmosphere of any golf tournament going on this week. … The crowd support is incredible. I’m pretty sure what’s going to happen over the final 18 holes here is going to be more entertaining than what other golf was played this week anywhere else.”
The debut of the LIV Golf tour — along with the 17 PGA Tour defectors and the Saudi Arabian government money that is funding the new league — has caused major controversy in the golf world. Charl Schwartzel, who won only two PGA Tour events in his career, was the winner of the inaugural LIV event on Saturday, netting $4.75 million. The $25 million purse at the 48-player event was the richest tournament in golf history.
McIlroy has been consistently critical of the new tour. When Phil Mickelson’s comments about using the Saudi-funded league to gain “leverage” over the PGA Tour caused backlash, McIlroy didn’t mince his words about Lefty.
“I thought [Mickelson’s comments] were naïve, selfish, egotistical, ignorant,” McIlroy said in February.
• Jacob Calvin Meyer can be reached at jmeyer@washingtontimes.com.
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