Just over six months after Rory McIlroy claimed that the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Series was "dead in the water", his words have no doubt come back to haunt him. Back in February a group of the world's best players ruled out their chances of joining LIV, leading to McIlroy rubbishing off the series' threat.
Months on though, the breakaway circuit - led by former world No 1 Greg Norman - has made its move in the world of golf, topping it off by announcing the signing of world No. 2 and Open champion Cameron Smith. Smith joins the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau on the LIV playing quota.
Earlier this year nobody in the world of golf could have anticipated the Saudi-backed series' fast-moving challenge against the PGA Tour - no more so than McIlroy.
