Rory McIlroy’s former agent has denied being the source of the rumours (Image: GETTY)
Rory McIlroy’s former agent Chubby Chandler has denied that he was the source of a rumour suggesting the Irishman was on the verge of joining LIV Golf. McIlroy has been a vocal opponent of the Saudi-backed breakaway tour over the years but has softened his stance in recent months.
It was recently reported that McIlroy was in line for a surprise move to LIV after being offered a signing-on fee in excess of £660million. According to City AM, the 35-year-old was also promised a two per cent equity stake in a bid to convince him to join the likes of Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau.
McIlroy, however, was quick to squash the rumour by insisting that he was committed to staying on the PGA Tour for the rest of his career. It was later speculated that Chandler, who split with McIlroy under acrimonious circumstances in 2011, may have been the source of the gossip.
McIlroy was quick to deny speculation that he was about to join LIV Golf (Image: GETTY)
He has since denied spreading the rumour in an interview with Flushing It but went on to suggest that McIlroy could still join LIV at some point further down the line.
“No, they weren’t from me at all,” said Chandler when quizzed on the rumours. “It was just my thought [that he was going] and I still think it is [possible he could join LIV].
“If Rory was hoping to bring the game together, in a funny sort of way, if he signed for LIV, it would make everybody come together, but he would do it the wrong way round. At the end of the day, if Rory is amongst this lot, then you’ve almost got what you want.
“I mean, I’m not telling Rory to do anything. Rory is his own man and he always has been. Since he was 17 years old he was his own man and he still is.”
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The suggestion that McIlroy was about to join LIV sparked a frenzied reaction on social media, given that he has made no secret of his disdain for the tour. It prompted a response from Mickelson, who urged fans to ease off and think carefully about what they were posting on social media.
“Let’s not use this as an opportunity to pile on,” Mickelson wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Rather, it’s time for me and others to let go of our hostilities and work towards a positive future.”
Earlier this year, McIlroy admitted that he was ‘too judgmental’ of golfers who joined LIV for the vast sums of money on offer. He also conceded that LIV would not be going anywhere, with the tour having emerged as a huge part of golf following its debut campaign in 2022.
