‘I’m Just So Sick Of Talking About It’ – McIlroy On Saudi League

Rory McIlroy has spoken of his frustration surrounding the ongoing saga of the upcoming LIV Golf Invitational Series.

The four-time Major winner, who is at Southern Hills in preparation for the second Major of the year, says he’s looking forward to the saga drawing to a conclusion. He said: "Honestly I'm rooting for it all to be over. I'm just so sick of talking about it. I've made my decision, and I know where I want to play, and I'm not standing in anyone's way, and I'm not saying that they shouldn't go over there and play if that's what they feel is right for them, then 100 per cent they should go and do it. I'm certainly not wanting to stand in anyone's way, but I think the sooner it all happens and the sooner everything shakes out, I think we can all just go back to not talking about it and doing what we want to do.”

The upcoming Saudi-backed series, which begins at London’s Centurion Club on 9 June, has been a sticking point throughout the year, first as a rumour, and now as a reality, and it has been in the headlines yet again this week, with frontman Greg Norman facing a barrage of criticism for his recent comments surrounding the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. On that subject, McIlroy said he doesn’t envy Norman.

“I think Greg is in a very tough position because he's taken the role of being the leader of something that is very divisive. Greg can sit with the media for five hours and give four hours and 50 minutes of pretty good answers, and the 10 minutes that he maybe drops his guard is what's going to be picked up on. I just think he's in a no-win situation. He's made that decision himself, and he has to deal with the questions that are being thrown at him. It's certainly not a position that I'd like to be in.”

While Norman’s comments have generated most of the ire towards the series this week, rumours continue to grow around who will tee it up in the first tournament next month, with Rickie Fowler the latest to admit he has yet to make a decision on whether to join the series. That followed last week's news that the PGA Tour had officially declined LIV Golf releases.

As for McIlroy, who’s going in search of his first Major win in eight years this week, it’s not the first time he has voiced his frustration on the disruption being caused by the series, and in February declared it “dead in the water,” a position he now admits was premature. He said: “Yeah, I might have been a little presumptuous at that point. It seems like it's still going. Greg and everyone behind it are very determined. I think we're just going to have to see how it plays out. Guys are going to make decisions. Honestly it's going to shape the future of professional golf one way or another, so I think we're just going to have to see how it all shakes out.”

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