Rory McIlroy drops ‘retire’ bomb on LIV Golf forward of Scottish Open

Rory McIlroy fired a lovely 6-under 64 spherical to open the Genesis Scottish Open.

But the actual fireworks befell after his spherical when McIlroy commented on LIV Golf for the primary time for the reason that Jul. 11 Senate hearings.

“If LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on Earth, I would retire,” McIlroy informed Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard. “That’s how I feel about it. I’d play the majors, but I’d be pretty comfortable [with that].”

At the listening to in Washington, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) launched a 276-page doc for public viewing that detailed communications, proposals, and different necessary factors in regards to the PGA’s cope with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Within that doc, LIV Golf proposed that McIlroy and Tiger Woods personal a staff and play in at the very least ten LIV Golf occasions.

Other proposals included Yasir al-Rumayyan, the governor of PIF, becoming a member of Augusta National as a member.

Another communication inside this doc revealed a gathering between McIlroy and Al-Rumayyan in late 2022.

A gathering was “arranged for Rory to meet with his Excellency in Dubai… It was a very cordial and constructive meeting… He [Al-Rumayyan] has been frustrated by his inability to engage constructively with the PGA,” the doc reads.

Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images

Yet, McIlroy has no want to personal a LIV Golf staff or play on the Saudi-backed circuit. He has lengthy criticized LIV whereas championing the PGA Tour’s trigger.

Then on Jun. 7, the day after the Tour’s cope with PIF, McIlroy admitted to feeling like a ‘sacrificial lamb.’

McIlroy felt betrayed by PGA Tour management and shared these frustrations with different high gamers over the dearth of transparency.

But the Northern Irishman appeared to have extra info than others when the announcement dropped on Jun. 6.

“I wasn’t quite as in the dark as some of the other guys, but people felt blind-sided by it, and I can obviously understand why Jordan [Spieth] and Xander [Schauffele] and a lot of the other guys would feel that way,” McIlroy mentioned.

“After everything that’s transpired over the last few weeks, the players will find themselves more at the table to try to get whatever they want out of it.”

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can observe him on Twitter @jack_milko for extra golf protection. Be positive to take a look at @_PlayingThrough too.