Triumphant FedEx Cup winner Rory McIlroy says it will be "hard to stomach" the presence of the LIV Golf rebels when he tees it up at the PGA Championship at Wentworth next week.
McIlroy pushed his on-course career earnings over the $100m mark when he reeled in world number one Scottie Scheffler at East Lake on Sunday to claim the PGA Tour's richest prize, the $18m dollar FedEx Cup, for the third time.
The win was achieved in dramatic circumstances after McIlroy, already six shots behind Scheffler starting the tournament, found himself 10 adrift after the opening three holes of his first round.
READ MORE: Rory McIlroy dramatically wins FedEx Cup after reeling in Scottie Scheffler with brilliant 66
His week's work followed the launch of 'TGL', the 18-hole Monday Night League created by McIlroy and Tiger Woods that will start in 2024 - the latest salvo in the war between the PGA and LIV Golf.
McIlroy has been front and centre of the PGA's response to the emergence of the Saudi-backed tour and he insisted after lifting the Tour Championship trophy that his role has not burdened him.
"No, I don't think so, because if you believe in something I think you have to speak up, and I believe very strongly about this. I really do," said the 33-year-old.
"I hate what it's doing to the game of golf. I hate it. I really do.
"Like, it's going to be hard for me to stomach going to Wentworth in a couple of weeks' time and seeing 18 of them there. That just doesn't sit right with me.
"So yeah, I feel strongly. I believe what I'm saying are the right things, and I think when you believe that what you're saying is the right things, you're happy to stick your neck out on the line.
"I think it has got a little tribal. I certainly have that feeling at times. Yeah, it's been different.
"But in a way, there's been a great thing that's happened, and that's that the 20 whatever of us that met in that room in Delaware (at a players only meeting earlier this month) all committed - most of us, maybe 22 out of the 23 - to each other and committed to guys, what can we do to make the TOUR the best possible product so that we can all benefit.
"I think that was a huge turning point in all of this, and I think all of us getting on the same page...look, there's opportunity in every challenge, and that was an opportunity for us to all get together.
"It (golf) is so individualized, but how can we all sort of work together to move the thing forward."
McIlroy, who is the top ranked player on the DP World points list, will compete at Wentworth for the first time since 2019. He won the event in 2014.
For the top-ranked LIV golfers who will compete there, the PGA Championship - with an $8m pot, the richest of the regular DP World Tour season - provides the opportunity to win crucial world ranking points they are excluded from on their own tour, which returns with the LIV Invitational Boston on Thursday.
Among the LIV pack participating will be Sergio Garcia, Brendan Grace, Martin Kaymer, Jason Kokrak, Pablo Larrazábal, Graeme McDowell, Kevin Na, Ian Poulter, Patrick Reed and Lee Westwood.
Reigning US Open champ Matt Fitzpatrick said recently that it will be "odd seeing certain people at Wentworth", adding: "That is going to be a bit weird, and obviously, it’s a little bit disappointing.
“It’s going to be interesting to see what happens. Obviously, they’re [the DP World Tour] not quite in as strong a position as the PGA Tour are in terms of regulations. I guess we’ll just have to see how it plays out."
As far as McIlroy is concerned, given what has been going on this year with the emergence of LIV and his own position, there is special meaning to this latest success.
"I think so," he said. "Look, it's been a tumultuous time for the world of men's professional golf in particular. I've been right in the middle of it - I've picked a great time to go on the PGA Tour board!
"But yeah, I've been in the thick of things. I guess every chance I get, I'm trying to defend what I feel is the best place to play elite professional golf in the world.
"It's in some ways fitting that I was able to get this done to sort of round off a year that has been very, very challenging and different.
"Yeah, they're all sort of different. It's been nice. Back in 2019 I took down the number one player in the world in Brooks Koepka. This year I took down the number one player in the world in Scottie Scheffler.
"So I know that my best stuff is good enough to win any tournament against anybody on any golf course. That's something I can take away from today."
McIlroy joked that he will take a "whopping" one week off before playing in Europe for three of the next four weeks before taking a break in November and December.
McIlroy has announced he will make his debut at the 79th edition of the DS Automobiles Italian Open at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, from September 15-18.
The world number three will get his first look at the 2023 Ryder Cup venue on the outskirts of Rome as Italy prepares to host the 44th edition of golf’s greatest team event on September 29 - October 1, 2023.
"When you win and when you do things, it energizes you more than anything else. It makes you want to do it more.
"Look, it's been a long few weeks and I'm looking forward to just chilling for a few days, but yeah, it gets you excited to get out there and play again because you're playing well and you want to have this feeling more often."
Before that, however, he will celebrate. He wasn't able to do that after his 2019 FedEx triumph as he flew straight to Switzerland to compete, but he will enjoy his latest victory in the company of Shane Lowry.
"I had a conversation with Shane Lowry yesterday, and it's Poppy's birthday on Wednesday and his kids are going to come around our house for Poppy's birthday," smiled McIlroy.
"He said, 'I'll see you next week and we can celebrate with the FedExCup'.
"I was like, 'yeah, whatever'. I was eight back at the time. I was like, 'yeah, I'll just see you next week'.
"Lo and behold, we might find a few really nice bottles of red wine tomorrow night in my wine cellar and open them up and have a good time."
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