Kevin Kisner Slams Rory McIlroy Over India Appearance Fee

Rory McIlroy and Kevin Kisner — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Kevin Kisner has hit out at Rory McIlroy's comments about wanting to play more global golf, claiming he's only at this week's DP World India Championship to collect a large appearance fee.

Appearing on the Fore Play podcast, Kisner chimed in on the subject of McIlroy playing at the India Championship this week, mocking any notion of the Northern Irishman heading to Delhi for any other reason than money.

The American was also rather uncomplimentary about the course at Delhi Golf Club and the reported use of appearance fees on the DP World Tour.

Six-time Major champion McIlroy has continuously spoken about his desire to play a more global schedule and has called for more big international events to be part of golf's future.

But Kisner emphatically rubbished that talk, and said McIlroy was playing in India for one reason only.

"That is such a dog s*** comment," Kisner said on the Fore Play podcast. "But I guess for the right price we could all say that.

"He doesn't want to globally expand in India, he wants to get his $10m and go play in India."

There's a stellar field for the India Championship in New Delhi, with the likes of Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry all teeing it up, while three of this year's four Major champions are playing with McIlroy joined by Ryan Fox and Aaron Rai.

There's just one event after India, the Genesis Championship in Korea, before the DP World Tour Play-Offs so it's also well positioned in the calendar.

Rory McIlroy holds his finish on his tee shot on the 8th hole during a practice round at the DP World India Championship

But Kisner and his Foreplay colleagues didn't think too much of the tournament, claiming the big names were only there for the cash.

"I know there’s a pile of guys that got paid for that event," claimed Kisner. "How else would you get that event in India with eight billion people in the middle of the city?"

And Kisner was also not particularly keen on Delhi Golf Club, seemingly because of the fact that McIlroy was not using his driver again this week in the tournament.

It's a tight course but not overly long so accuracy off the tee is paramount, but Kisner feels that it's not a course McIlroy would normally relish.

"Rory’s not even hitting a driver this week," said Kisner. "You think he wants to go play a tournament where he can’t use his number one weapon? So give me a break.”

Kisner forthright views also included his thoughts on comments players make when venturing into new territory, joking that "as part of your appearance fee, here’s your script for altruism".

In the end though, he did admit it was all: "Totally fine, I’d do it too, and all of us on this podcast would."

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Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.