LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson mockingly responds to Rory McIlroy's PGA Tour snub of Memorial Tournament
McIlroy is skipping the Memorial Tournament for the first time since 2016, with PGA Tour commissioner Monahan defending players' freedom to select their schedules
LIV Golf's Phil Mickelson has taken a swipe at PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan over his defence of Rory McIlroy's decision to give this week's Memorial Tournament a miss.
Masters champion McIlroy is sitting out his third signature event of the season, having previously missed The Sentry and the RBC Heritage. The Northern Irishman's decision to skip the tournament at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio, follows his refusal to speak to the press after each round of the PGA Championship a fortnight ago.
McIlroy's media snub came on the back of a report that his driver didn't pass standard testing by the United States Golf Association ahead of the tournament, forcing him to switch to a backup. The 36 year old ended up sharing 47th place at Quail Hollow.
The world No. 2 wasn't in the lineup for the Charles Schwab Challenge last week, and the Memorial Tournament marks the third of the tour's $20 million elevated events that he has chosen not to participate in this year.
McIlroy hasn't yet given a reason for his absence at Muirfield Village, even to tournament host Jack Nicklaus, although he is scheduled to play three consecutive events starting next week at the Canadian Open.
Monahan has made it clear that he isn't bothered by McIlroy's absence this week, praising his support for the tournament over the years. The commissioner also believes one of the strengths of the PGA Tour is players' ability to decide when and where they compete.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan spoke to Sports Illustrated about player autonomy within the tour. "You look at the beauty of our model is that our players have the ability to select their schedule," Monahan said.
" Rory McIlroy I think has played this tournament every year since 2017 [13 times overall] and you look at the tournaments he has supported ... I don't have any concern because you look at this, on balance, over time, his support of our tournaments and our partners is extraordinary."
Highlighting Rory McIlroy's fantastic season, Monahan continued: "Look at the season that Rory has had. He's had a life-altering season. He's won the Players Championship, you win the Masters Tournament, you win the [career] Grand Slam and you win the ATandT Pebble Beach Pro-Am."
Phil Mickelson, instrumental in LIV Golf 's inception last year, reacted with laughter to Monahan's remarks. He dropped a couple of laughing emojis as a reply to Monahan's comments on social media.
Additionally, Mickelson seized the chance to critique the PGA Tour's offerings.
While PGA Tour golfers enjoy the freedom to choose which events to enter from a packed roster of stateside competitions, LIV Golf members are bound to play across the entirety of its more limited yet worldwide schedule.
Six-time major winner Mickelson thinks the PGA Tour's current model, where players aren't required to participate in specific events, benefits the players but is limiting the tour's global growth. Sponsors are uncertain whether top players will compete in the events they're supporting.
"It's why the PGA Tour won't ever be able to move throughout the world, why sponsors don't know what they are buying, why fans haven't seen all the best compete against each other consistently for decades, and why no other sport successfully uses this model. It was great for me and all players, but not good for anyone else."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
McIlroy's new UK neighbours include footballers, oligarchs and Sultan of Brunei
Rory McIlroy is set to move his family from Florida to the UK next month, with the five-time major champion and his wife Erica Stoll having spent millions on renovations to their Surrey mansion Following his Masters victory and the completion of his career grand slam, Rory McIlroy is set to move his family to London. The 36-year-old ended his 11-year major drought last month by securing the only major championship missing from his impressive CV, joining a select group of golfers who have won the career grand slam. This was a significant accomplishment for McIlroy, who celebrated the win by returning to his hometown of Holywood in Northern Ireland to visit his parents. However, before landing in Belfast, he, his wife Erica Stoll, and their daughter Poppy made a brief stop in London in their private jet to view the Surrey mansion they plan to live in. For several years, McIlroy and his family have lived in a grand home in Jupiter, Florida, a neighbourhood chock-full of wealthy golfers, actors, and business people, according to the Irish Mirror. The sunny Florida weather undoubtedly suits McIlroy's golfing ambitions, as its climate and resources allow him to practice year-round. However, the five-time major champion has not hidden his and his wife's desire to move to the UK, with the couple buying a property on the Wentworth Golf Club estate a few years ago. After reportedly spending over £8.4million (€10m) on renovations to the Surrey home, the McIlroys are now expected to move in next month. In doing so, they will join a long list of famous names who have chosen to live in an area known for its exclusivity, reports Belfast Live. In the elite circles of golf, McIlroy's neighbours are to include South African icon Ernie Els and ex-Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn. His fellow Irishman Paul McGinley resides nearby in Sunningdale, joined by another Ryder Cup skipper, Sam Torrance. Masters playoff victor over Justin Rose, McIlroy will also share the locale with the accomplished golfer. Chelsea icon and keen golfer John Terry is a resident within proximity to Wentworth, where ex-England cricketer Kevin Pietersen, also an enthusiast of the green, has made his home. Ex-Formula One boss Eddie Jordan - who passed away in March - and Ukrainian footballer Andriy Shevchenko once graced the area with their presence. McIlroy's notable neighbours extend to royalty with Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, on the Wentworth Estate and Russian oligarch Petr Aven. Wentworth has further allure for tycoons like Tullow Oil's Aidan Heavey who owns a slice of this real estate heaven. The opulence of Wentworth Estate, as well as its strategic location offering quick routes to London and key airports, lures a diverse profile of residents. Music royalty such as Elton John and Cliff Richard have savoured the Wentworth life at some point. Even controversial figures like Chile's one-time dictator Augusto Pinochet, alongside Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and television's Michael Parkinson have enjoyed the grandeur here. While many revel in the lap of luxury, for synth-pop pioneer Gary Numan, as he related to Uncut magazine back in 2019, it wasn't quite the dream: "I had a big neo-Georgian house on Wentworth golf course, but I was convinced it was haunted," he said. "Some weird s*** had been going on – I'd come home and the house was in darkness when I was convinced I'd left the lights on. So one day, I made a point of turning on every single light in the house. I got back from the studio and – f*** me – the house was in total darkness."
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Rory McIlroy now has some very famous neighbours after making London move
Rory McIlroy now has some very famous neighbours after making London move Rory McIlroy is set to move his family from Florida to Surrey next month, with the five-time major winner and his family set to have some famous faces as neighbours Rory McIlroy, Erica Stoll and their daughter Poppy will soon move to Surrey (Image: AP ) Following his recent Masters victory and the completion of his career Grand Slam, Rory McIlroy is preparing to relocate his family to London. The 36-year-old golfer ended his major championship drought last month by securing the only title missing from his impressive collection. This achievement places him in the prestigious club of golfers who have won the career Grand Slam. This victory was a significant relief for McIlroy, who celebrated by returning to his hometown of Holywood in Northern Ireland to visit his parents. However, before touching down in Belfast, he, his wife Erica Stoll and their daughter Poppy made a brief stop in London in their private jet to view the Surrey mansion they plan to call home. For several years, the McIlroy family has resided in a luxurious home in Jupiter, Florida, a neighbourhood populated by affluent golfers, actors and business people, reports the Irish Mirror. Florida's sunny weather undoubtedly complements McIlroy's golfing aspirations, as its climate and facilities allow him to train throughout the year. However, the five-time major champion has not hidden his and his wife's wish to move to the UK, having purchased a property on the Wentworth Golf Club estate a few years ago. After reportedly spending over €10million on renovations to their Surrey home, the McIlroys are expected to move in next month. In doing so, they will join a long list of famous names who have chosen to reside in this exclusive area. In the golfing world, McIlroy's neighbours are set to include South African legend Ernie Els and former Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn. Irish compatriot Paul McGinley resides in nearby Sunningdale, as does another ex-Ryder Cup captain, Sam Torrance. Justin Rose, whom McIlroy defeated in a play-off to clinch the Masters, also calls the area home. Former Chelsea skipper John Terry, an avid golfer, lives near Wentworth, as does ex-England cricketer and fellow golf enthusiast Kevin Pietersen. In years gone by, Formula One icon Eddie Jordan and Ukrainian footballer Andriy Shevchenko both owned properties in the vicinity. Other notable neighbours for McIlroy will include the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, a resident of Wentworth Estate, and Russian oligarch Petr Aven. Aidan Heavey, the founder of Tullow Oil, also has a property on the estate. The luxurious environs of Wentworth and its convenient access to London and international airports have drawn individuals from all walks of life. Music legends Elton John and Cliff Richard have both owned properties in the area over the years. Wentworth Estate has also been home to former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and chat show supremo Michael Parkinson. Article continues below However, not all found comfort in residing within the upscale neighbourhood. Speaking to Uncut music magazine back in 2019, New Wave artist Gary Numan shared his eerie experiences: "I had a big neo-Georgian house on Wentworth golf course, but I was convinced it was haunted." He recounted some mysterious incidents, saying: "Some weird s*** had been going on – I'd come home and the house was in darkness when I was convinced I'd left the lights on." Numan also detailed a deliberate test he conducted: "So one day, I made a point of turning on every single light in the house. I got back from the studio and – f*** me – the house was in total darkness."
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
Hottest player in golf boosted by game's bias and getting to lie longer in bed
Ben Griffin opens up on the bonuses of surging into the highest ranks Buoyant Ben Griffin says mixing with the elite is maintaining his stunning elevation in golf. The American star is the hottest player in the game at the moment having won twice recently at the Zurich Classic and Charles Schwab Challenge. Griffin's success has seen him mixed with the biggest stars such as Scottie Scheffler and Masters champ Rory McIlroy in the tee-timings with broadcasters and fans wanting too see him. The American has noted the alteration and said: 'I'm just playing with new golfers now. The way the tee-times work on the PGA Tour, you kind of have feature groups, you have categories where you're in a winner's category. So someone like me, I was never, unless I got lucky, got paired with them on the weekends, 'I was never playing with the Scottie Schefflers or the Rory McIlroys, some of these top players, and now I'm just playing with different golfers. Going back to before Zurich, I'm just playing with guys that haven't won on tour and you almost feel like there's two separate tours in a way on the first couple rounds because I'm always playing with the same kind of guys. 'I was always playing with Charlie Hoffman, with Bo Hassler or some of those guys and it's funny, we joked about it, like everyone in kind of our same category would play a couple times a year and you'd go on stretches where you played with the same guy three times in a 10-week stretch or something like that. But now I'm obviously going to be playing with some new faces, guys that I'm cordial with in the locker room and everything, but I've never really played rounds with. So it's fun. It's a new experience. 'First year on tour, I'm in the Korn-Ferry category, so I'm at the back end of the wave, kind of battling sunsets early in the year. The greens aren't quite as good because everyone's stepped on them. And then my second year, I was kind of in a category where I was playing more early, so I'd wake up at 4am a lot. Now I'm going to be waking up at a little bit better hour. "It's probably a slight advantage. I think that's why they kind of do it because they want the best golfers in the world to have the best conditions, I guess, in a way. 'I mean, it's relatively fair. It's as fair as it can possibly get and, the way the tour's set up, it rewards good play. 'All of us as golfers are just trying to play as well as possible and the pot of gold's pretty big at the end of the rainbow if you can keep the pedal down. 'When you're playing rounds with really elite golfers, the best in the world, you're seeing a lot of really high-quality shots. It helps a ton when you're out there and you're seeing guys make birdies and seeing guys hit good shots. It kind of helps the energy of the group. 'That's one of those things you can't look at stats and see. But when you're in a group, you can feel when the energy's better. That's really fun. It's not like I was playing with necessarily that worse of golfers. Everyone on the PGA Tour was really, really good. 'But there might have been some days where I was paired with some guys that just hardly made any birdies. Maybe they're past champions or whatever it is and they're kind of at the back end of their career, not hit it quite as far as some of the top golfers in the world, etc. The energy in the group has definitely been nice the last few weeks. 'I don't think it can get any better. Basically, someone said I'm the hottest golfer on the PGA Tour. I feel like I'm playing right now with a ton of confidence, hitting it kind of more or less where I'm looking with a lot of my clubs. 'Golf is cyclical, but it's fun to be on these highs and I'm just going to try to stay on the high as long as possible. 'I always said once I got my first win, it would free me up a ton. I just feel like I'm in a really good place to be an elite golfer.'
