Rory McIlroy was quick to dash the rumours of a staggering U-turn in his stance on a hypothetical move to the LIV Golf tour
Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler, Rory McIlroy’s former agent, recently addressed the swirling speculation about the golfer’s potential move to LIV Golf. Earlier this year, rumors circulated within the golfing community suggesting that McIlroy, a vocal critic of LIV Golf, might consider joining the controversial tour. Chandler has now clarified that he was not the origin of these rumors.
McIlroy, who hails from Northern Ireland and is widely recognized as one of golf’s leading stars, had consistently been an outspoken critic of players joining LIV Golf, which is backed by Saudi Arabian funding. His critical stance was particularly pronounced when the breakaway circuit first emerged. However, McIlroy’s position appeared to evolve following the announcement of a tentative merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour last summer. Despite the subsequent stalling of progress on this merger, McIlroy has expressed a more accommodating attitude towards resolving the conflict between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Amidst the ongoing saga of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s contentious relationship, rumors began to surface earlier this year that McIlroy might be a target for LIV Golf, with speculative figures suggesting an eye-watering £660 million ($850 million) offer. In response, McIlroy reaffirmed his loyalty to the PGA Tour. He publicly stated his stance on the matter, saying, “I’ve made it clear over the last two years that I don’t think [LIV] is something for me. It doesn’t mean that I judge people that have gone and played over there. I think one of the things that I’ve realized over the past two years is people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves. Who are we to judge them for that? But personally, for me, my future is here on the PGA Tour and it’s never been any different. I will play on the PGA Tour for the rest of my career.”
In a recent interview with Flushing It Golf on Twitter/X, Chandler addressed the rumors about McIlroy’s potential move to LIV Golf. He clarified that he was not the source of the speculation. Chandler stated, “No, they weren’t from me at all. It was just my thought [that he was going]. And I still think it is [possible he could join LIV]. If Rory was hoping to bring the game together, in a funny sort of way, if he signed for LIV, it would make everybody come together. But he would do it the wrong way round. At the end of the day, if Rory is amongst this lot, then you’ve almost got what you want.”
Chandler also emphasized that he is not trying to influence McIlroy’s decisions. He pointed out that McIlroy has always been an independent individual, stating, “I mean, I’m not telling Rory to do anything. Rory is his own man and he always has been since he was 17 years old he was his own man and he still is.”
Thus, while Chandler’s comments have added to the ongoing discourse surrounding McIlroy’s career decisions, the golfer himself has firmly reiterated his commitment to the PGA Tour, despite the evolving dynamics between the PGA and LIV Golf.
