'It's All About The Money' - McGinley Gives Honest LIV Assessment

On Saturday night, Paul Casey was announced as the newest signing for LIV Golf, with the 44-year-old set to tee it up at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster at the end of July.

For some, Casey's move may have been a slight surprise but for others it wasn't. At Sky Sports, it was blatantly the latter, with Rob Lee and Paul McGinley speaking about the signing as they opened the Irish Open.

Beginning the broadcast, Lee says: "News overnight is that Paul Casey has gone to LIV. Hands up if you're shocked." After a silent and motionless pause of five seconds, the Englishman then asks "no hands going up here Paul?"

Following the question, McGinley simply states: "I mean, look, it's all about the money Rob," before adding "anybody who says it's about growing the game, because there is a new way of playing the game and all that, I really question that. It's all about the money. 

"Paul Casey has obviously been injured since January-February. He's missed all three of the Major Championships so far this year. It's almost like an assurance policy, he's obviously been given a whole load of money to go there and you can understand it. I can understand somebody if they've got injuries, Bryson as well too, who has said it's a business decision, who was probably referring to the fact that he was injured. 

"The money is so huge and so big that players are taking that, particularly the ones who are towards the second parts of their careers. It's understandable, I get it. The challenge going forward is can the players go over there, take the money, which is fine, but then come back and take money off the table of the guys who have stayed loyal to the Tour. That's the big question.

"Having spoken to some of the players on the range this week, as well as a lot of the US Open, absolutely no way. It's going to be the players who feel very strong about that, more so than the Tours to say that's fine, if you are going to go over there then off you go, but we're staying with the Tours but, as one player said to me 'you can't double-dip.'"

Following the first LIV Golf event at Centurion, both the PGA and DP World Tours announced sanctions for those who featured. Regarding the DP World Tour, Keith Pelley, CEO of the Tour, announced that the LIV rebels will be ineligible for the Rolex Series event at the Renaissance Club in Scotland the week prior to The Open, as well as being fined £100,000 and refused entry into the Barbasol Championship and Barracuda Championship, both of which are co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour.

After the sanctions were announced, the 16 LIV Golf players involved have reportedly threatened the DP World Tour with legal action after being banned from the Scottish Open and fined £100,000. However, Pelley has addressed the issue, calling out the "many inaccuracies" in a scathing statement that also questioned claims that the players "care deeply" for what was formerly the European Tour.