'It's Not For Me' - Rory McIlroy Issues Defiant Response To Shut Down LIV Golf Speculation

Rory McIlroy has poured cold water on growing speculation he would consider a dramatic U-turn to join LIV Golf, saying the PGA Tour's legacy is far more important to him.

McIlroy has been a vocal critic of the Saudi-backed circuit since its inception, claiming in July last year that he would rather retire from the sport than play for the 54-hole league.

However, the Northern Irishman has noticeably softened his stance in recent months as the state of men's professional golf continues to shift. He recently conceded he was perhaps too harsh on those who did leave and also suggested that LIV players should be able to return penalty-free to the PGA Tour.

Recent comments made by his former agent Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler reignited speculation that the four-time Major champion may be ready to complete a total reversal and sign for LIV but the 34-year-old has shut down those rumours ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. 

"It's not for me. I'm too much of a traditionalist," he told ESPN. "I love winning golf tournaments and looking at the trophy and seeing that Sam Sneed won this trophy or Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, Jack Nichalus, Gary Player, Tiger Woods or Nick Faldo - whoever it is - the people that came before me. That, to me, is a big deal in our game."

McIlroy, though, remained steadfast in his hope that golf's bitter civil war could be resolved in order to bring the game's best players back under one roof.

"If we were to all put our heads together and be like: 'What can we do to all come back together and move forward and be a little more cohesive then I would be for that," he added.

Negotiations between the Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV, remain ongoing. Any such deal could lay the foundations for a return of high-profile LIV stars to the PGA Tour. 

However, concern around regulatory issues from the US Department Of Justice may well slow down the approval of any such deal. The Tour and the PIF have already extended the date for an agreement beyond the initial deadline of December 31 2023, with the hope, now, to have a deal in place before the Masters in April.