With the LIV Golf season set to begin this weekend, PGA stars Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy differ on the way back from the breakaway tour for big-name players.
Rickie Fowler doesn’t believe there should be a “direct route” back LIVGolf defectors – despite Rory McIlroy insisting it would be “harsh” to punish the players.
McIlroy, a PGA loyalist, was one of the biggest critics of the Saudi separatist tour until recently, where it softened its approach towards players who jumped ship for the lucrative riches on offer. “I think life is about choices,” McIlroy said.
“The guys made the choice to go play LIV, the guys made the choice to stay here. If people are still eligible on this tour and they want to come back and play or if you want to try to do something, let them come back. I think it’s It’s hard to punish people. I don’t think there should be any punishment.
“Obviously I’ve changed my mind on that because I see where golf is at and I see that having a diminished PGA Tour and a diminished LIV Tour or whatever is bad for both games. It would be much better to be together and move forward together for the good of the game.
“That’s my opinion. The sooner we can all get back together and start playing and start having the strongest fields possible, I think it’s great for golf.”
However, Fowler, McIlroy’s PGA rival, suggested those who left for LIV should not have a direct path to the PGA TOUR. Fowler thinks they shouldn’t be allowed to come and go as they please. “(I’m) probably not in the same situation as Rory,” Fowler said. “Maybe we started in a similar area, but I think there was a bit of a rollercoaster ride on his part.
“As far as decisions to go somewhere else and just come back, I don’t think it’s a direct route (back to the Tour). I mean, they made decisions and there has to be something for that .Whether it is small or big, it doesn’t depend on me.”
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There is mixed opinion among the players, according to Jordan Spieth, who took McIlroy’s seat on the political board when he resigned last year. “I’ve interviewed a lot of players, I’ve talked a lot with a lot of players over the last couple of months,” he said.
“That’s Rory’s point of view. I could name guys with the same point of view, I could name guys with a totally opposite point of view.”
The LIV Golf season was scheduled to begin today at Mayakoba, but a food poisoning outbreak could delay the start of the tournament. Flushing It reports that there are at least 20 players and caddies who were sick yesterday and overnight.
