McIlroy Reveals 'Brainwash' Comment Started Norman Rift

When it comes to LIV Golf, Rory McIlroy has arguably been the most outspoken player about the Saudi-backed series. Back in February, he claimed LIV Golf was 'dead in the water', before admitting six months later that he may have "got it wrong" when it came to the threat of LIV Golf.

McIlroy's original comments weren't forgotten by the league's CEO, Greg Norman, with the 67-year-old appearing to aim a dig in the Northern Irishman's direction, using McIlroy's own words that LIV was "dead in the water" against him in a social media post. Following the dig, the four-time Major champion called for Norman to stand down from his post of CEO, so peace talks can begin with an "adult in the room".

The pair have regularly been firing blows at one another throughout 2022, but it was a comment made by Norman, in which he accused McIlroy of being “brainwashed” by the PGA Tour, that reignited the controversy between the two. That's at least according to the Northern Irishman in a lengthy interview with the Sunday Independent and Paul Kimmage. 

According to the 33-year-old, the domestic began pre-COVID in February 2020. At the time, the Premier Golf League was a big talking point, with the Saudi-backed league offering players higher purses. However, McIlroy became the first player to say he "was out" and that the more he thought about it, the more he didn't like it.

“He (Norman) wasn’t happy, and we had a pretty testy back-and-forth and he was very condescending. ‘Maybe one day you’ll understand’ and all this (stuff),” McIlroy said in the Independent interview.

14 months later though, after watching an ESPN documentary on Norman's Masters collapse which saw the Green Jacket slip through his hands, McIlroy sent the Australian a message that stated: “Hopefully it reminds everyone of what a great golfer you were.”

In the interview, McIlroy revealed that Norman had sent him a moving note following his collapse at the 2011 Masters: “He was great,” McIlroy said. “So I said to him, ‘Watching it reminded me of how you reached out to me in 2011, and I just want to say that I’ll always appreciate it. It meant a lot. I know our opinion on the game of golf right now is very different, but I just wanted you to know that and wish you all the best.’

“So, a bit of an olive branch, and he came back to me straightaway: ‘I really think golf can be a force for good around the world... I know our opinions are not aligned but I’m just trying to create more opportunities for every golfer around the world."

It didn't finish there though... Just a few weeks later, while speaking to the Washington Post, Norman came out with a barrage aimed at McIlroy in which he claimed he was brainwashed by the PGA Tour.

Understandably, McIlroy didn't take too lightly to the comments, stating: "A couple of weeks later, he (Norman) does an interview with The Washington Post and says I’ve been brainwashed by the PGA Tour. We’ve had this really nice back-and-forth and he says that about me.”

After Norman's interview, McIlroy added: “I thought, you know what? I’m going to make it my business now to be as much of a pain in his a**e as possible,” with the four-time Major winner claiming that the PGA Tour is lucky Norman is involved in LIV because “I think if they had found someone less polarizing, LIV could have made more inroads.”

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