Rory McIlroy to LIV Golf? Ex-Agent Believes It Will Happen

Rory McIlroy has been perhaps the most outspoken and critical proponent against the creation and execution of LIV Golf. Over the past few months, the intensity of his once self-proclaimed hatred of the PGA Tour’s rival has softened, so much so that his ex-agent believes he could eventually jump ship to LIV Golf.

“It’s typical Rory,” Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler, the ex-agent of the #2 golfer in the world said to Bunkered (via Instant Casinos).

He uses McIlroy’s former feelings regarding the Ryder Cup as proof that his sentiments regarding what could be considered “monumental” events or happenings in the world of golf can change:

“Rory is not shy in having an opinion and not slow to apologize if he’s got that wrong. When he turned pro in 2008 we were sat on a bench at Gleneagles and I had Rory telling me that the Ryder Cup meant nothing at all to him. ‘It was just an exhibition match. I’m here to win majors.’ There’s nobody bigger into the Ryder Cup now than Rory McIlroy.”

McIlroy once had extremely strong, negative feelings about LIV Golf. But it all changed when Jon Rahm, his Ryder Cup teammate and friend, chose to leave the PGA Tour and defect to LIV for a sum of what was rumored to be as much as $400 million.

After Rahm’s departure from the Tour, McIlroy’s narrative on LIV Golf switched completely. At one point, he believed there should be major punishments for those who left. When Rahm left, Rory said he believed the two Tours could coexist with one another.

Rory McIlroy explains what he thinks a new ‘World Tour’ could look like. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/nfgaAKcRiG

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) February 18, 2024

It was likely exhausting for McIlroy to handle the weight of the responsibility that came with being the Tour’s unofficial spokesperson against LIV Golf. It all seemed to eventually wear on him.

Two years ago when LIV became a relevant topic, there was no convincing anyone that McIlroy would eventually think positive things about the rival tour. That’s happened. 

Now that it has, Chandler believes it could go a step further, and McIlroy could eventually leave the Tour and join LIV:

“I think number one, there’s a 10% possibility he’s favouring his way to sign for LIV, but he realises that the whole bickering and fighting is no good for golf. The man in the street must find it appalling the sums of money being spoken.”

The issue is that, although McIlroy has changed his opinions substantially on LIV, there is more at stake if he were to leave the Tour. Saying he is supportive of LIV and what it has done for golf by changing the landscape is not necessarily a dealbreaker for various things, including friendships.

However, departing the Tour and joining LIV Golf would likely be the end of a number of friendships, including the one he has had with his idol Tiger Woods. It would also likely be the final blow to the Tour, and could end any chance of a potential merger between the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF, which currently funds LIV Golf.

Cover Image via Golf Magazine