‘He’s angering me!’ PGA Tour star blasts Rory McIlroy over latest LIV Golf comments

Rory McIlroy’s recent claims about LIV Golf have left one PGA Tour winner turned pundit fuming.

Rory McIlroy has been accused of “trying to get his way” as the four-time major champion continues to push for the reunification of golf.

McIlroy was chatting to reporters ahead of the Genesis Invitational when he said that anyone upset by the possibility of LIV Golf defectors returning to the PGA Tour should “just get over it”.

“If people are butt hurt, or have their feelings hurt because guys went or whatever, who cares?” McIlroy said. “Let’s move forward together and let’s just try to get this thing going again and do what’s best for the game.”

The Northern Irishman also said players who decided to stick with the PGA Tour “have all benefited from this”, as prize pots continue to increase from year to year in the wake of LIV Golf’s creation, while it has also led to smaller-field events and TGL, which McIlroy co-founded with Tiger Woods.

And it’s those comments in particular that have gone down like a lead balloon with Johnson Wagner.

The three-time PGA Tour winner, who is now a popular pundit on Golf Channel, did not hold back when asked for his reaction to McIlroy’s claims.

“The fact that he’s talking about ‘we’ve all benefited’ – he’s just seeing things from such a finite perspective,” Wagner said.

“He’s not seeing who hasn’t benefited from all this going on, the sponsors that pay all the bills for the PGA Tour events because TV is down, everything is down, but they’re being asked to pay more money. So, good for you. I’m glad you’re making more money than you were in ‘19 – which was a ton of money.”

Indeed, In 2019, McIlroy earned just shy of $8 million from 19 PGA Tour events that included three wins. In 2024, he won twice and banked almost $11 million in prize funds. The Sunday Times‘ Rich List, meanwhile, said McIlroy’s personal wealth jumped from $262 million to $299 million from 2023 to 2024.

McIlroy has also claimed this year that the answer to golf’s ongoing slow play problem at the top level is to shrink the field sizes.

“He’s just telling everyone they’ve ‘got to get over it’,” Johnson continued. “He’s said some things over the past couple of seasons that have rubbed a lot of players the wrong way. And now he wants everybody to get over it. He’s pushing for a small world tour. He’s trying to get his way.

“I’m a huge fan of Rory, but he is angering me right now. Angering me.”