Rory McIlroy performed a shock U-turn over LIV Golf admitting he may have been too harsh on the defectors – but his backtracking has caught the attention of Brooks Koepka and his wife
Jena Sims, the spouse of Brooks Koepka, has joined her husband in making a playful jab at Rory McIlroy, a supporter of the PGA.
On the breakaway tour LIV Golf, McIlroy made a U-turn and softened his position when he was on Sky Bet’s Stick to Football podcast. He acknowledged that criticizing players for switching to the lucrative Saudi Arabian market was a “mistake.”
The four-time major champion admitted, “I was maybe a little judgmental of the guys who went to LIV golf at the start.” “I now realise that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Woods’ position, so I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part.
Over the past two years, I believe I’ve come to the realization that all athletes become professionals in order to support themselves through their passions. If there is anything I regret, it was probably being too critical of others from the beginning because I can’t judge them for their choice.
One of LIV’s biggest stars, Koepka, responded to McIlroy’s retraction by sending a mysterious GIF of the well-known “none of my business” Kermit the Frog meme to his 622,000 followers on X. Koepka’s spouse Sims has also adopted a less sentimental approach, tagging McIlroy on Instagram with the sardonic comment, “New Year, New Rory,” in reference to his U-turn.
Even with ongoing talks to complete the shocking merger that was revealed in the summer, more players may yet flock to LIV Golf. According to McIlroy, he has come to terms with LIV’s role in golf’s future. “Over the past two years, I’ve adopted an altruistic perspective and have seen the world through my own lens.” He continued.
In the end, you can say and do whatever you want, but you will never be able to influence other people’s opinions. You can never force them to make a decision based solely on your words. Although I wouldn’t say I lost the battle with LIV, I have come to terms with the fact that this is now a part of our sport.”
The 34-year-old has also drawn parallels between Indian Premier League cricket and LIV. According to McIlroy, “I would love for LIV to become almost like the Indian Premier League of golf.”
“In cricket, the Indian Premier League (IPL) spans two calendar months: four weeks in May and four weeks in November. During these times, players participate in team activities; the format and style of play are slightly different.
“I think that sounds like fun if they were to do something like that; at least you’re working within the ecosystem.”
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