Rory McIlroy decided long ago that he should park his own battle against LIV Golf. It was after the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) laid the groundwork for a deal back in June 2023. Since then, the so-called ‘golf peace’ has yet to be signed and it has been a rocky road for the Saudi-backed circuit.
Rory found it difficult to digest that many of his friends or Ryder Cup teammates had chosen a different path, but he seems to have come to terms with it. Somehow he relented in his criticism of LIV Golf, although he always made it clear that he did not like the format. The Northern Irishman, along with Tiger, created the indoor team league called TGL (Tomorrow’s Golf League) and from his pulpit sat back and waited for events like the ones now unfolding.
Brooks Koepka, one of the great stars of the rival circuit, terminated his contract with LIV a few days ago and DeChambeau is not only not finalizing his renewal, but he recently dropped a bombshell: “The renewal is on the table, but you never know. Life gives you surprises and we’ve already seen what happened with Brooks. It’s been a shock to a lot of people.”
Seeing that the golf board pieces are moving favorably for the PGA Tour, McIlroy was clever and reached out to the players who left LIV. The Masters champion is now in favor of them returning without penalties such as the one-year suspension that must be served before being able to play on the PGA Tour again. But not only that, but now he is trying to entice Koepka to join the TGL.
During an interview to talk about the new season of the TGL, Rory spoke of Koepka in these terms: “He’s a pretty outstanding player he may have decided what he wants to do,” he said. And his possible incorporation to the TGL? “I would say that’s up to people more powerful and important than me, but I’m one of the founders. I would love for him to play. If there’s room on a team for Brooks to come and play, it only strengthens what we’re trying to do. He’s won five majors, he’s been one of the best players of our generation. If he decides it’s something he wants to do, I’m sure we’ll find a way to include him,” McIlroy’s message was very clear and his embrace of the ‘dissidents’ speaks volumes about his new strategy to try to undermine LIV’s forces.
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