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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Ewan Murray at St Andrews

Rory McIlroy takes centre stage at 150th Open clouded by LIV Golf soap opera

Rory McIlroy, the PGA Tour’s golden boy, is well-placed to push for the Claret Jug at St Andrews.
Rory McIlroy, the PGA Tour’s golden boy, is well-placed to push for the Claret Jug at St Andrews. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

The ecosystem sits 1up. Try as they may to keep attention on the 150th staging of this great championship, there is no doubt the Open has been clouded by a wider narrative. In the red corner: the PGA and DP World Tours.

In the blue corner: LIV Golf and its Saudi Arabian-backed disruption plan. With golfers from both camps jousting for the Claret Jug while trading public broadsides, it is impossible to ignore the sense of soap opera.

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