Rory McIlroy believes “golf is ripping itself apart right now” as the battle between the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf Invitational Series rages on.
The introduction of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf has caused a huge divide in the sport, with big names such as Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau defecting from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf.
The storm has also seen some defectors file lawsuits against the PGA Tour after it banned those who made the switch to LIV Golf from playing in its events.
And McIlroy, who has remained fiercely loyal to the PGA Tour, sees the dispute as harmful for players on both sides of the divide, telling reporters: “I don’t want a fractured game. I never have.
“You look at some other sports and what’s happened and the game of golf is ripping itself apart right now.
“It’s no good for the guys on, you know, this side or the sort of traditional system and it’s no good for the guys on the other side, either.
“It’s no good for anyone. There is a time and a place for it. I just think right now, with where everything is, it’s probably not the right time.
“I’ve always said I think there is a time and a place where everyone that’s involved here should sit down and try to work together. It’s very hard for that to happen right now when there’s two lawsuits going on.”
McIlroy already said on Wednesday that it fell upon LIV Golf players to take the lead on repairing relations between the two tours.
“I would just say the ball is in their court,” McIlroy told the BBC.
“If they want to come to the table and try to play nicely within the sandbox that’s already created, the opportunity is there.”
Source: Livescore