Who saw and who saw it. Those who a year ago were enemies of the circuit now come out asking for ‘clemency’ for them if they return. Rory McIlroyonce one of the ardent defenders of PGA Tour meet the challenge presented by LIV Golf, now different eyes see the players jump in Arab Super League, Tyrrell Hatton the last of them. The Northern Irishman, world No. 2, who has won four majors and this week’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which he hasn’t attended since 2018, doesn’t want the PGA Tour to penalize players who return after joining LIV.
McIlroy said on Tuesday at Pebble Beach (California), “I think life is about choices. Guys made choices to play at LIV, guys made choices to stay here. If people still have the right to this tour and they want to come back and play or you want to try to do something, let them come back. I think it’s difficult to punish people. I don’t think there should be a punishment,” the Briton said at a press conference.
He was obviously asked about this change of heart and this is what the recent winner of the Dubai Desert Classic replied: “Obviously, I’ve changed my opinion on that because I see where golf is and I see having a weak PGA Tour and having a poor LIV Tour or whatever. Anything else is bad for both sides. It’s better to come together and move forward together for the good of golf. That’s my opinion. So for me, the sooner we can all get back and play in most powerful field possible, the better. It’s going to be great for golf.”
Last year, McIlroy declared that there should be “consequences for these actions” because those who left the PGA Tour for LIV “have irreparably harmed this tour.” McIlroy said of Hatton: “I talked to him a little bit about the issue last month. They got to the point where they settled, he felt comfortable, and he had to do what he thought was right for him. So I’m not going to stop anyone from earning… what they consider life-changing money.”
The PGA Tour, Strategic Sports Group and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which finances LIV, are close to reaching an agreement that will dictate the future of men’s professional golf. McIlroy, a former PGA Tour board member, said: “This could have been resolved months ago. I think for everyone’s sake, the sooner we can get out of this and have a path forward, the better.”
Rory McIlroy might have said it louder, but no clearer. The future of professional golf depends on an agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf. He’s already stepped it up in Dubai and at Pebble Beach he upped the ante.
Source: La Verdad
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