Rory McIlroy has been placed on blast by former professional and Golf Channel analyst Johnson Wagner, who took concern with the celebrity’s name for gamers to “recover from” their points with LIV Golf.
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McIlroy was talking forward of this week’s Genesis Invitational when he confirmed little sympathy for gamers who’ve been left “butt-hurt” by modifications to {the golfing} panorama because the Saudi-backed circuit launched in 2022.
With a merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour now on the horizon, McIlroy stated: “I believe everybody has simply received to recover from it…
“If persons are butt-hurt, or have their emotions harm as a result of guys went or no matter, like who cares? Let’s transfer ahead collectively and let’s simply attempt to get this factor going once more and do what’s finest for the sport.”
McIlroy additionally spoke about how he’s making more cash than he did in 2019 earlier than LIV Golf was created and sparked competitors with the PGA Tour, in the end resulting in far higher prize swimming pools at limited-field occasions, and the creation of TGL.
The feedback went down like a lead balloon with Wagner, who was requested for his response on the Golf Channel.
Wagner claimed McIlroy was being narrow-minded and neglecting the numerous stakeholders and gamers who haven’t benefited from LIV Golf’s emergence.
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“The truth that he’s speaking about ‘we’ve all benefittied’ — he’s simply seeing issues from such a finite perspective. From his perspective,” Wagner stated.
“He’s not seeing who hasn’t benefited from all this happening, the sponsors that pay all of the payments for the PGA Tour occasions as a result of TV is down, every little thing is down, however they’re being requested to pay more cash.
“So, good for you. I’m glad you’re making more cash than you had been in ‘19 which was a ton of cash.
“And likewise, he’s simply telling everybody they’ve ‘received to recover from it’. He’s stated some issues over the previous couple of seasons which have rubbed loads of gamers the flawed manner. And now he desires everyone to recover from it, he’s pushing for a small world tour, he’s making an attempt to get his manner.
“I’m an enormous fan of Rory, however he’s angering me proper now. Angering me.”
Within the 2018-19 season, McIlroy made in prize cash alone US$7,785,286.
In 2024, he gained US$10,893,790.
In the meantime, the Sunday Instances’ 2024 Wealthy Record reported McIlroy’s private wealth to have risen from US$262million in 2023 to US$299million (A$473m).