Rory McIlroy has been slammed by an anonymous LIV Golf executive, following his views on the future of the sport.
McIlroy has been anti-LIV ever since the breakaway golf league was formed, and remained loyal to the PGA Tour despite many other professionals accepting the riches that were offered to them. It's been a chaotic week in the sport as after all the controversies it was confirmed on Tuesday that the PGA Tour and LIV put their differences aside to merge competitions.
The 34-year-old took part in "the most uncomfortable" press conference for over a year on Wednesday, admitting he felt like a "sacrificial lamb" due his strong backing for the PGA Tour now essentially being for nothing. And to top off a wild week he's been called a "little b****" by an unnamed LIV executive.
The PGA Tour confirmed in a statement its newfound partnership with LIV Golf and the DP World Tour on Tuesday, meaning the trio will set up a new entity moving forward. Those who didn't previously join LIV from the PGA Tour will now have the chance to join the team format and take part.
However, one unnamed LIV executive has already threatened McIlroy's position due to his comments over the past 12 months. "Now we can finally get Hideki [Matsuyama] and Jon Rahm," the executive told The Fire Pit Collective..
"I would say every big name on the PGA Tour will get an offer. Except Rory. Nobody wants that little b**** on their team."
On Wednesday, McIlroy said that he hopes the merger "goes away" and commented on his efforts to defend the PGA Tour. "I hope it goes away, and I would fully expect that it does," McIlroy said.
"All I've tried to do is protect what the PGA Tour is and what the PGA Tour stands for. Going forward there may be a team element, and you're going to see, maybe me, maybe whoever else play in some sort of team golf. But I don't think it will look anything like LIV has looked, and I think that's a good thing."
McIlroy also commented on a rough press conference, as he added: "The most uncomfortable I've felt in the last 12 months was my press conference yesterday (Tuesday). I wouldn't say I viewed the PGA Tour as through an altruism lens per se.
"At the end of the day, this is business and my job is playing golf at the end of the day. So the more that I can focus on that and focus on the birdies and the bogeys instead of the stuff that's happened in the board room I'll be much happier."
