Rory McIlroy rubbishes Phil Mickelson’s ‘LIV propaganda’ after golf legend claimed PGA Tour was ‘trending downwards’

RORY McILROY dismissed Phil Mickelson’s suggestion that the PGA Tour was ‘trending downwards’ as ‘LIV propaganda’.

Mickelson, who joined the Saudi-backed league in a deal worth up to €200 million, boasted that he was ‘on the winning side’.

He said: “I think that for a long, long time, my 30 years on the PGA Tour, pretty much all the best players played on the PGA Tour, at least for the last 20 years.

“That will never be the case again.

The 44-year-old continued: “And I see LIV Golf trending upwards, I see the PGA Tour trending downwards and I love the side that I’m on.

“I love how I’m reinvigorated and excited to play golf and compete. I love the experience. I love the way they treat us.

“I love the way they involve us and listen to us in decisions. I mean it’s so inclusive, it’s so fluid that things, LIV Golf is leading.”

This is a claim that was refuted by McIlroy, speaking ahead of the CJ Cup, in which 15 of the top 20 players in the world are competing.

The Holywood man said: “I don’t agree with what Phil said.

“I understand why he said it because of the position he is in, but I don’t think anyone with a logical view can agree with it.

“I love the way they involve us and listen to us in decisions. I mean it’s so inclusive, it’s so fluid that things, LIV Golf is leading.”

This is a claim that was refuted by McIlroy, speaking ahead of the CJ Cup, in which 15 of the top 20 players in the world are competing.

The Holywood man said: “I don’t agree with what Phil said.

“I understand why he said it because of the position he is in, but I don’t think anyone with a logical view can agree with it.