04 April 2023 , 15:16
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Rory McIlroy believes the magnitude of the Masters transcends the PGA Tour's rivalry with LIV Golf and will even play a practice round with big-name rebel Brooks Koepka ahead of the tournament.
McIlroy has been among the most vocal opponents of the LIV enterprise and 18 of the renegades who turned their back on the status quo for the Saudi riches funding the contentious invitational circuit are in the field at Augusta for the first major of the year.
The involvement of LIV players adds a fascinating subplot to the most prestigious tournament in golf during the most fractious time in the sport's modern history.
McIlroy's close relationship with 2017 champion Sergio Garcia has publicly broken down and he has previously admitted feeling 'betrayed' by his European Ryder Cup teammates who ditched the traditional ecosystem to join the LIV tour.
But the Northern Irishman - chasing an elusive first Green Jacket that would complete a career Grand Slam - is putting his grievances aside this week as he plots his latest bid at sporting history.
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He will even take to the course on Tuesday afternoon with fellow four-time major winner Koepka, who was one of the biggest signings during LIV's disruptive inaugural season.
McIlroy will play some practice holes with Koepka on Tuesday (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)"It's not as if I don't see some of these (LIV) guys at home on weeks off," McIlroy said in Tuesday's press conference. "But I think the more face-time you get with people, the more comfortable you become in some ways.
"I think I'm going to play nine holes with Brooks [Koepka] in a bit. It's a very nuanced situation and there are different dynamics, and it's okay to get on with Brooks and DJ [Dustin Johnson] and not with some other people who went to LIV.
"This week and this tournament is bigger than any of that, I feel, and it's just great all of the best players in the world are together again for the first time in what seems to be quite a while."
McIlroy is in great shape to finally end his major drought (Mark Baker/AP/REX/Shutterstock)McIlroy finished second behind Scottie Scheffler last year and produced a roaring finish that proved a catalyst for an incredible season that was only missing one of the big four titles. But the 33-year-old is now playing some of the best golf of his life and is relishing another opportunity to end his nine-year major drought this weekend.
He added: "The last time the tournament was played I walked away pretty happy with myself but it's always good to be back. The whole field has been building up to this point the entire calendar year. I'm just looking forward to getting the week started."