Rory McIlroy has opened up on the exact moment when he decided he was 'going to make it his business to be a pain in the a***' for LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman.
Northern Ireland World No.1 McIlroy had extended an olive branch of sorts earlier this year after watching a documentary on Aussie great Norman. Not long after that 'Shark' belittled McIlroy in an interview, describing him as 'brainwashed' by PGA Tour brass.
The pair have been at loggerheads over the creation of the Saudi-backed circuit, with McIlroy the most outspoken critic on the PGA Tour and he decided to take things to a new level after that.
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"I thought, "You know what? I'm going to make it my business now to be as much of a pain in his a**e as possible,"' McIlroy told the Irish Independent.
McIlroy explained how he had reached out to Norman with a peace offering of sorts after watching a documentary on Norman's infamous collapse in the 1996 Masters.
"Hopefully it reminds everyone of what a great golfer you were," a text from McIlroy stated after the Holywood man recalled a kind message Norman had sent him after his own collapse at the Masters in 2011.
"I said to him, ''Watching it reminded me of how you reached out to me in 2011, and I just want to say that I'll always appreciate it. It meant a lot. I know our opinion on the game of golf right now is very different, but I just wanted you to know that and wish you all the best."
"So, a bit of an olive branch, and he came back to be straightaway: "I really think golf can be a force for good around the world...I know our opinions are not aligned but I'm just trying to create more opportunities for every golfer around the world."
"Fine. Really nice,' McIlroy responded. "Then, a couple of weeks later, he does an interview with The Washington Post and says I've been "brainwashed by the PGA Tour."
"We've had this really nice back-and-forth and he says that about me."
McIlroy also opened up on his relationship with once great pal friend Sergio Garcia who made the move to the lucrative LIV Tour.
The pair have not spoken since June, despite the fact McIlroy was one of Garcia's groomsmen at his wedding to Angela Atkins in 2017.
On day two of the Open at St Andrews, McIlroy received a text from Garcia "basically telling me to shut up about LIV, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah."
"I was pretty offended and sent him back a couple of daggers and that was it," McIlroy said.
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