Rory McIlroy Got Awfully Quiet About LIV Golf Recently, PGA Tour Merger Likely Explains Why

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One of the biggest and loudest critics of LIV Golf is Rory McIlroy. At least, until recently. After news broke Tuesday that the PGA Tour and LIV Golf are merging, it appears we have an answer as to why.

Let's take a look back at all the things Rory McIlroy said about LIV over the past 18 months.

Following last year's win at the RBC Canadian Open -- where Rory is favored this week to successfully defend his title -- he took a shot at Greg Norman, the LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO.

Later that week, he took aim at the Saudi Arabian government, the main backers for the startup tour.

When Brooks Koepka announced his defection to LIV Golf, McIlroy let his feelings be known.

Shortly thereafter, McIlroy delivered his most aggressive message yet: if a player leaves for LIV, don't try to come back to the PGA Tour.

“I think at this stage, if you go over and play on a different tour, then go over and play on a different tour,” McIlroy said in July of 2022. “You’re sort of basically leaving all your peers behind to go make more money, which is fine. But just go over there. Don’t try and come back and play over here again.”

He even partnered with Tiger Woods to try to create a competitor to LIV Golf.

Around September 2022, though, McIlroy started to change his tune a bit. He advocated for the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to work together to find resolution to pending lawsuits.

But he still managed to get into a little tiff with LIV Golf defector -- and generally terrible person -- Patrick Reed. Though, that might have more to do with Reed and less to do with the tour he joined.

He and Sergio Garcia ended a long friendship thanks to the pair competing on rival tours.

But then, McIlroy went quiet for a while. Greg Norman event commented last month that McIlroy started to "change his tune" on LIV Golf.

Unofficial PGA Tour spokesperson Rory McIlroy sure changed his tune about LIV Golf in recent weeks.

Unofficial PGA Tour spokesperson Rory McIlroy sure changed his tune about LIV Golf in recent weeks. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

He refused to even discuss LIV prior to the PGA Championship, a clear change in his past media appearances heading into major golf tournaments.

Then, on Tuesday, the PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger became public knowledge. But, Rory McIlroy's noted changing tune indicates that he probably had some awareness this was coming.

It's interesting how quickly he changed course. With him set to tee it up in the RBC Canadian Open this weekend, media questions are sure to center around the merger.

What's McIlroy going to say?

I don't know, but I can't wait.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.