Golf fans have reacted with astonishment after LIV golf star Sergio Garcia branded former close pal Rory McIlroy as 'immature'.
The two became close after forming a bond playing together at the Ryder Cup with Northern Ireland man McIlroy even performing the duty of groomsman at the Spaniard's wedding to Angela Akins.
But the emergence of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf breakaway has caused their relationship to collapse as the divide in golf's fierce civil war got personal.
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Former Masters champion Garcia jumped ship for the Saudi millions last year as he became one of the first defectors to the contentious LIV venture fronted by firebrand Greg Norman.
McIlroy has been vocal in his strong opposition of LIV and the Northern Irishman has claimed that he felt betrayed by his former Ryder Cup teammates who had jeopardised their chances of competing in the biennial showdown with the USA.
The 33-year-old also recently revealed an explosive text-message exchange with Spaniard Garcia, who he said was "basically telling me to shut up abut LIV, blah, blah, blah." He said he was "offended" by Garcia's words and replied with "a couple of daggers."
"I think it is very sad," Garcia has now told The Telegraph. "I think that we've done so many things together and had so many experiences that for him to throw that away just because I decided to go to a different tour, well, it doesn't seem very mature; lacking maturity, really.
"But Rory's got his own life and he makes his own choices, the same way that I make mine. I respect his choices, but it seems like he doesn't respect the ones I make. So a one-way street."
Garcia, who is gearing up to captain the 'Fireballs' team at LIV's season-opening event at Mayakoba in Mexico this weekend, will not escape accusations of a certain level of hypocrisy for his comments on McIlroy.
The 43-year-old had long been condemned for his petulant actions during his career, even before his ungraceful exit from golf's status quo. He has intentionally damaged greens during on-course tantrums, bemoaned his own apparent misfortune in majors and churlishly blasted the PGA Tour before his impending move to the LIV series.
Golf fans online have been very quick to point out the hypocrisy in the situation and defend McIlroy.
"Oh the irony," replied Stuart Purling to the interview. "Pot. Kettle. Black," said another.
"Sergio likes tossing stones from his glass house when it comes to maturity," commented Patrick Anderson.
Eddie Kelly shared his opinion: "Garcia is the most petulant, childish and immature golfer in the world. His behaviour over the years has been, at times, embarrassing with his personality summed up by wilfully damaging greens. McIlroy is well shut of him as a friend."
McIlroy and Garcia are not likely to cross paths until the highly-anticipated Masters tournament at Augusta in April.
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