28 February 2024 , 21:33
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Ian Poulter has sympathised with his former Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy, who has softened his stance on the LIV Golf setup in recent months.
McIlroy had previously been one of LIV's biggest critics, having seen some of his closest allies - including Poulter - leave the PGA Tour to join the breakaway league. With a proposed peace deal between the rival tours on the horizon though, McIlroy is seemingly warming to the idea of the LIV circuit.
One man who will no doubt welcome the change in heart is Majesticks GC co-captain, Poulter, who now feels sorry for his former Ryder Cup teammate who he believes was misled.
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"I feel bad for Rory,” the Englishman told Gulf News. "His beliefs and the information that he was given that led him to make those comments were obviously potentially slightly misleading, right? Therefore, he's in an awkward position because, now all of a sudden, it doesn’t look as good as it was.
"But listen, I don’t need to single Rory out, everyone knows who everyone is that has said certain things. I don't need to individually call anyone out in this business as everyone knows. When you’re going to speak out against something yet demand a certain amount of money to move across and then you didn’t, but bash the product, you better be careful.”
McIlroy had previously stated that he would rather retire than sign with LIV, but if recent reports are anything to go by, the Northern Irishman may well be open to make the biggest U-turn of all. On the back on his recent softened stance, the Northern Irishman's former agent Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler believes there was a '10 percent' chance McIlroy could make the unthinkable move.
Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy are former teammates (Getty Images)Unsurprisingly the comments were put to the four-time major champion ahead of his return to the PGA Tour this week, at the Cognizant Classic in Palm Beach, Florida. Addressing his former agent's comments, McIlroy said: "I spoke to Chubby. I might have saw him in the Middle East at the start of the year.
"Never know. He might know a few things [about a LIV Golf move]. Who knows?" Quizzed on Chandler's '10 percent' chance claim, McIlroy refused to rule out the prospect of signing with Greg Norman and co, adding: "Somewhere in the middle maybe. Who knows."
Mcilroy's fifth tournament of the year will kick off at the PGA National Members Club on Thursday, as he joins defending champion Chris Kirk and last week's Mexico Open winner Jake Knapp in round one and two. Poulter is also back in action, teeing it up at LIV Jeddah this weekend, playing alongside Sebastian Munoz and Paul Casey in Friday's first round.