Rory McIlroy has broken his silence on LIV Golf and the PGA Tour merging after being blindsided by Tuesday's bombshell announcement.
Speaking at the Canadian Open, McIlroy, an outspoken critic of LIV Golf, revealed he knew of discussions taking place in the background but was surprised by how quickly the situation developed and was given no heads up over the news a deal had been reached.
“I learned about it pretty much at the same time everyone else did," he said, but added: “Yeah it was a surprise but I knew there had been discussion going on. I knew lines of communications were open.”
He continued: "When I look at the bigger picture and I look ten years down the line, I think this will be good for the game of golf."
Discussing LIV Golf defectors, he said: "There still has to be actions. The people who left the PGA Tour... we can't just let them back in", and added of his own role in the dispute: "It's hard not to feel like I was a sacrificial lamb."
Asked if he still has confidence in PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, he said: "I do... the future of the PGA Tour looks brighter."
He also stated: "I hate LIV. I hope that it goes away". Asked how he feels about Saudi influence in the sport, he said: "I've come to terms with it.' 'I've resigned myself to the fact that this is what's going to happen."
McIlroy spoke to the press after an explosive players' meeting took place on Tuesday night at the Canadian Open after news of the merger broke. It is claimed that players directed their anger and frustrations at Jay Monahan, who faced calls to resign.
It's also claimed by the Golf Channel that players began to turn on themselves, with McIlroy told to "f*** off" by a rival player. McIlroy is reported to have mostly remained quiet during the meeting, but in a brief exchange he told world number 221 Grayson Murray: "Just play better Grayson."
It is claimed that left Murray furious, with the American hitting back at McIlroy and telling him to "f*** off". The duo were said to be cordial towards each other after the meeting, as Wes Bryan insisted players left the discussions with no hard feelings.
"We chatted as a group of players, and we were laughing about the comment,” Bryan said. “No beef or hard feelings either way.”
McIlroy has constantly been outspoken about the impact of LIV Golf and remained loyal to the PGA Tour. After players pledged their allegiances then jumped ship to LIV, he said: "I guess I took a lot of players’ statements at face value. I guess that’s what I got wrong. You had people committed to the PGA Tour, and that’s what the statements were that were put out. People went back on that.
"It’s disappointing. The players that are staying on the PGA Tour feel slighted in some way. If those guys thought outside of themselves, they would see this is not the best for everyone."
And ahead of the PGA Championship at Wentworth, where 18 LIV golfers played, McIlroy said: "Look, my opinion is they [LIV golfers] shouldn’t be here. They have been paid a lot of money to go and play on a different tour that is trying to buy the game of professional golf, and they are taking places away from players who really need spots this week."
However, the two sets of players will now be reunited again. It is expected LIV Golf will complete the 2023 season before calendars are aligned for 2024.
Monahan admitted on Tuesday he will be viewed as a hypocrite for his role in the dispute. He said: "I recognise that people are going to call me a hypocrite. Any time I've said anything I've said it with the information I had at that moment, and I said it based on someone that's trying to compete for the PGA Tour and our players," he said.
"I accept those criticisms, but circumstances do change, and I think looking at the big picture got us to this point. It probably didn't seem this way to them, but as I looked to those players that have been loyal to the PGA Tour, I'm confident they made the right decision.
"They have helped re-architect the future of the PGA Tour, they have moved us to a more competitive model. We have significantly invested in our business in 2023, we're going to do so in '24."
