Rory McIlroy Issues Surprising Response After Former Agent Hints He Could Join LIV Golf

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It’s very hard to imagine Rory McIlroy joining LIV Golf based on the stance he’s taken over the past few years, but he didn’t rule out that possibility while responding to a claim his former agent recently floated.

LIV Golf has attracted plenty of critics since it officially embarked on its quest to give the PGA Tour a run for its money in 2021, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any notable names who’ve been more vocal than Rory McIlroy when it comes to pushing back against the league.

The Northern Irishman has engaged in an incredibly public feud with LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman and spent a couple of years routinely firing shots at the former PGA Tour golfers who accepted the massive bags of cash that helped lure them to the rival organization. However, he surprised plenty of people by softening that stance in recent months.

McIlory has publically stated he decided to tone things down a bit after putting himself in the golf shoes of the players who used LIV as an opportunity to secure the financial stability he’s been afforded due to his stellar play since turning pro in 2007—although his former agent has teased an alternative theory.

In a recent interview, Andrew “Chubby” Chandler theorized McIlroy called off the dogs because he’s begun to understand the appeal of joining the dark side. With that said, he admitted he only thinks there’s a 10% chance his former client actually pulls the trigger.

On Wednesday, McIlroy got the chance to respond to that speculation ahead of the Cognizant Classic, and it’s a bit hard not to be surprised by the route he decided to take.

Here’s what he had to say when a reporter asked him to shed some light on any recent interactions he’s had with Chandler:

“I think he’s writing a book, so there is that.

I spoke to Chubby—I might have saw him in the Middle East actually at the start of the year. You never know. He might know a few things. Who knows?”

The reporter followed up by mentioning the 10% number Chandler floated, with McIlroy saying, “Somewhere in the middle maybe. Who knows?”

It’s obviously worth noting McIlroy came off as fairly glib during the interaction, so while you could certainly read way too much into his decision to not deny the speculation outright, it does seem like there’s a solid chance he’s simply toying with us all for his own amusement.