McIlroy makes bold claim after scolding LIV Golf ‘propaganda’
Rory McIlroy shut down comments made by Phil Mickelson before making quite the assertion of his own
In another zesty press conference, Rory McIlroy has scolded LIV Golf “propaganda” and made one his boldest claims yet about the PGA Tour as the sport’s civil war rages on.
Responding to comments made by Phil Mickelson – where the LIV defector turned heads by accusing the PGA Tour of “trending downwards” – McIlroy rebuffed the statement before insisting the Greg Norman-led league is putting “the golf world in flux” with their misinformation.
“I don’t agree with what Phil said last week,” McIlroy told press ahead of the CJ Cup. “I understand why he said it because of the position he’s in, but I don’t think anyone that takes a logical view of the game of golf can agree with what he said.
“We’re playing these events, we’re PGA Tour members, we’re sticking to the system that has traditionally been there. The guys that have went over to LIV… they’re the ones that have made the disruption. They’re the ones that have sort of put the golf world in flux right now.
“I guess for them to be talking the way they are, it’s bold and it’s, you know, I think there’s a ton of propaganda being used and all sorts of stuff.”
And, after his latest condemnation of the Saudi Arabia-funded series, the Ryder Cup star then made a striking assertion of his own, going as far as to claim “95% of the talent” in golf is on the PGA Tour.
“I certainly don’t see the PGA Tour trending downward at all,” he continued. “All the talent, most, 95% of the talent is here. You’ve got people like Tom Kim coming through who that’s the future of our game.”
The comments come with LIV having lured in a host of major championship winners including Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka.
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George Cooper
A golf fanatic his entire life, George Cooper is NCG's man for all goings-on at the top level of the game, whether it's the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA or LIV Golf. He also looks after NCG's Twitter and Facebook accounts. George is a member of Woburn, but is not friends with Ian Poulter.