Getty Image
Rory McIlroy cemented himself as one of the most vocal critics of LIV Golf before ultimately opting to scale back his attacks on the controversial league, and it sounds like the organization thinks he’s changed his tune to the point where he might consider doing what was previously unthinkable: leaving the PGA Tour.
June will mark the second anniversary of the first LIV Golf event, which was held in the wake of the veritable coup that saw it poach notable names like Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, and Sergio Garcia from the PGA Tour before adding the likes of Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeua, and Cameron Smith.
It would be a stretch to suggest that second circuit found itself facing an existential crisis, but it nonetheless scrambled to give golfers less incentive to defect with a push that was led by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy—the second of whom was not shy about firing plenty of shots at LIV Golf and CEO Greg Norman.
Things took an interesting turn at the start of 2024 when McIlroy admitted he’d been “a little judgmental” when it came to criticizing guys who decided to make the leap. That led to his former agent speculating he might be gearing up to follow in their footsteps, although the Northern Irishman has repeatedly downplayed those rumors since they began to swirl.
However, we were treated to an interesting report City A.M. published prior to McIlroy’s final round at The Masters on Sunday that cited multiple sources who claim he’s become LIV Golf’s latest—and, based on what we know about previous contract, most expensive—target in the form of the $850 million offer it’s reportedly extended to him.
If those sources are to be believed, LIV Golf sweetened the potential deal by offering McIlroy a 2% stake in the league on top of that life-changing sum. It’s worth noting Norman was spotted following Rory around toward the start of the week at Augusta National, although eyewitnesses say his rumored target declined to acknowledge his presence.
Based on everything that’s transpired over the past couple of years, it’s very hard to imagine this will ultimately come to fruition, but crazier things have happened.