Rory McIlroy Calls Out Phil Mickelson for ‘Blowing’ Up Golf When He Led Exodus from PGA Tour

NEED TO KNOW

• Rory McIlroy is continuing to speak out against LIV Golf
• The golfer referenced Phil Mickelson in his criticism of the breakaway tour on Wednesday, Aug. 19
• The final LIV Golf tournament of the season begins on Thursday, Aug. 20 in Indiana

In his latest round of critical comments aimed at LIV Golf, is questioning ’s impact on the breakaway tour.

“Yeah, were there some things at the start of LIV that the PGA Tour could have done better? Sure,” McIlroy, 37, on Wednesday, Aug. 19, ahead of the BMW Championship. “But I think that, you know, the guys that went, or you look, you think back to the start with, like, say, Phil was unhappy with some stuff or whatever it was.”

He continued, “Like, surely that just warranted a conversation instead of blowing the entire professional game up and doing something else.”

Mickelson was among golf’s most notable names who jumped to LIV in 2022, along with Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson. The 56-year-old golfer, who has been under fire following allegations of misconduct, stepped away from the sport in recent months after announcing he was dealing with a “.”

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LIV continues to evolve amid financial issues, with the final tournament of the season getting underway on Thursday, Aug. 20 at The Club at Chatham Hills in Westfield, Indiana.

Should LIV return next year, it is expected to have 10 events on the schedule and permit players to contend on other tours, .

McIlroy has questioned the value of a potential reunion with his former tour mates.

“I mean, I would argue, have they brought value to LIV?” McIlroy said. “I think the PGA Tour’s in a really good spot.”

He continued, “I feel like I’ve kept my position consistent that LIV has never been a good thing for the game. Whatever [LIV] 2.0 looks like — if it even happens — they’re saying they’re trying to be more collaborative and all of that, but this is the best platform for the top professional golfers in the world.”

McIlroy, who previously served as a player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, has long believed it is his duty to “protect the PGA Tour” — and hasn’t pulled punches about his standing.

“I still hate LIV,” he said in 2023. “I hope it goes away and I fully expect that it does and I think that’s where the distinction here is,” he said. “All I’ve tried to do is protect what the PGA Tour is and what the PGA Tour stands for, and I think it will continue to do that.”

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