IRELAND'S Rory Mcllroy has said the players who signed up for the Saudi-funded LIV Golf event this week are doing it for 'boatloads of cash'
Several of golf's most prestigious stars have signed up for the first event at the Centurion Club in St. Albans this Friday.
These include the likes of Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell, Phil Mickelson, and many others.
It was reported Major champions Mickelson and Johnson are reported to have been paid $200m and $150m respectively to play in the fledgling series.
Tiger Woods is also alleged to have turned down a 9-figure sum to play in the event.
Rory McIlroy says the golfers playing in the inaugural Saudi-funded LIV Golf event this week are doing it for "boatloads of cash".
"We all know why everyone's playing in London this week." 💬
More ⤵️ #BBCGolf— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 9, 2022
McIlroy, like many others believe's the reason many golfers have jumped ship to play in the new event is totally down to money.
“Where’s the incentive to go and play well? I felt flat,” McIlroy said. “We all know why everyone’s playing in London this week, it’s boatloads of cash and it’s money up front and I get it. For some guys I totally get it."
“I think they’re thinking very short-term. Some of these guys are younger than me and have their whole careers ahead of them. That’s the thing I don’t get.
“Everyone has to do what’s right for themselves and who are we to say otherwise.
I’m happy with what I’m doing and playing in a golf tournament and not just following all the drama on Twitter.”
He does not feel however that players that the LIV Golf rebels should be banned from the Ryder Cup even if they're defying the Tour.
‘It would be such a shame for him not to be involved going forward.
It’s hard because they are playing in defiance of the Tour but I think everyone needs to get in a room and figure it out.
Mcllroy will play in the 2022 Canadian Open this week and feels that player's move to a new event will cause damage to the already existing structure.
“For the game in general, it’s just a shame that it’s going to fracture the game,” he said.
“The professional game is the window shop into golf.
If the general public is confused about who is playing where, and what tournament is on this week, and OK, he doesn’t get into these events – it just becomes so confusing.
I think everything needs to try to become more cohesive, and I think it was on a pretty good trajectory until this happened.”
🗣 "Any decision you make in your life that's purely for money, usually doesn't end up going the right way"
Rory McIlroy says his stance on the LIV Series 'has been pretty clear from the start' 👇 pic.twitter.com/UvmyaGec2f— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 8, 2022
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