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RORY McILROY HAS conceded he was “too judgemental” in his criticisms of those who joined the breakaway LIV Golf Tour.
McIlroy took a strident position against the big-money venture, which tempted a host of top names with lavish paydays and disrupted the established order of the PGA and European tours.
The Northern Irishman became the de facto voice of opposition to the project, which has continued to divide the sport, and said during last year’s Ryder Cup in Rome that the likes of Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter would miss being part of the European team more than they would be missed.
Now, with talks ongoing to agree a merger between the rival parties, McIlroy has taken a tentative step towards rapprochement.
Speaking to Sky Bet’s Stick to Football podcast, he said: “I think at this point, I was maybe a little judgemental of the guys who went to LIV Golf at the start.
“I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part because I now realise that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Wood’s position. I can’t judge people for making that decision, so if I regret anything, it was probably being too judgemental at the start.
I wouldn’t say I’ve lost the fight against LIV, but I’ve just accepted the fact that this is part of our sport now.
“At the end of the day, we’re professional golfers and we play to make a living and make money, so I understand it.”
McIlroy remains unhappy at those who criticised the established tours after leaving, but did accept that the Saudi intervention did shine a light on problems that had gone overlooked for too long.
“I don’t begrudge anyone for going and taking the money and doing something different, but don’t try to burn the place down on your way out,” he added.
“When people have played that for 15 or 20 years, and then they jump to LIV and start talking crap about where they’ve come from, that is what bothers me, because they wouldn’t be in this position if they didn’t have the career they’ve had so far.
“I think what LIV has done… it’s exposed some of the flaws in the system and hopefully golf will have a look at more.
“If we’re going to ask these people (sponsors) for so much money, we need to be able to guarantee them what they’re getting.
“Part of the stuff that we’ve been trying to do for the last two years is figure out how we can try and bring golf back together again and learn from some of the things that have happened.”
Jon Rahm became the latest high-profile LIV acquisition within weeks of helping Europe to victory in a Ryder Cup triumph in Rome, a move McIlroy chalked up as calculated move against the backdrop of negotiations between the rival tours.
“I thought it was a smart business move from Jon – it’s opportunistic,” he said.
“(He) hasn’t got any of the heat for going like the first guys got for going.
“Jon is a smart guy and I think he sees things coming together at some point so he’s thinking that he’ll take the up-front money, which is his prerogative, and if things come together he’ll play LIV for a year then come back to play on the tour.”
Written by Press Association and posted on the42.ie
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Awh no. Someone should really invent hundreds of websites and programs that allow you to download and/or stream media without paying for it. Or even something that lets you pretend to be from any country you like on the internet, some kind of crazy magical browser extension. What a world that would be.
Ssssssshhhhhhhh . . . . . . . .
But where would you get one of those vpn / torrent yoke
take it you’re been sarcastic yes?
You’re a smart lad Declan, gold star for you
Well Amazon’s On Demand service isnt available in Ireland is this isnt much use to us. Unless you use a VPN.
Wouldn’t worry Tim. Given the poplarity of Top Gear, I’d imagine this will be available a few hours after broadcast from the usual places
Connolly is correct if Amazon don’t launch their prime video service in Ireland soon they’ll lose out big time!
Is it still the case in the UK that watching prime instant video, even on a telly, doesn’t require a TV licence, big middle finger there to the BBC if that is the case
It will be available to torrent within hours of bradcast. Thats the route I shall take.
Did he ever apologise to the lad he attacked? I know it’s all about the money but no pompous racist should be encouraged with a pat on the back, even if it’s from another company..shame on you Amazon Video.
Several times he has apologised. He’s not a pompous racist either. So settle down there, love.
he did. several times.
If you dont like him, dont watch him, and move right along. Simple.
As much as I don’t like him, he did apologise several times
he also sounded like he meant it
@The Girl. As men we generally don’t look for apologies if we’re attacked. Then again, a real man would hit back!! Maybe I’m a ‘neanderthal’ but anyone who ever hit me, didn’t do it a second time.
Stephen, if you think he is not a british supremacist and believes the races are inferior you probably have not been paying attention
Wayne, for someone who doesn’t watch the show you seem to know a lot about it.
See what you are trying to do (rather pathetically) is equate his on camera character and media persona to that of an actual racist. He obviously exaggerates the plucky proud Brit stereotype to an extreme and it is hilarious most of the time.
I would say he is proud of British history and its industrial pedigree. Is there something wrong with that? I don’t think so. Last time I checked contemporary use of the term “British” didn’t correspond with any skin colour or ethnic group. So if he believes that British culture and identity is the best, then more power to him.
Obnoxious, egotistical Clarkson. I would rather watch paint dry.
And yet here you are commenting on an artlicle about him.
Is there are a law against that Karol ?! You’re 100% right Kevin.
Did I mention that I felt he was breaking the law?
No Karol – but I reckon u know what I meant. Semantics at play methinks
Same tired format they were stringing along for the last few years no doubt
Yes that tired format that made it the most watched television show in the world with over 350 million viewers.
Stephen viewer figures for the last 3 series were in decline from its peak.
maybe,but it’s still the most watched tv show in the world.
NCIS is the most watched tv show in the world not Top Gear.
depends, are we talking viewing numbers or number of countries in which it’s watched?
Viewing figures
What are the viewing figures? All I’ve found is that it had 58 million viewers in 2014, which awarded it the most watched drama series in the world.
swwwweeeet
If its on the internet you will be able to get it. VPN.
Hopefully Amazon will launch prime in Ireland soon so people can have access to this. Its a bit ridiculous at this stage that we don’t have instant video and prime delivery.
They just bought a massive warehouse in Dublin, so maybe they will launch the service soon
Fantastic! For a few months there I thought the world had lost forever the televised antics of the smuggest, most obnoxious, pompous and wearisome trio of men-children that history has ever known.
They’ve bought 10+ massive warehouses and plots in Dublin over the last 5 years. They are for Amazon data centres.
Lovely, good enough to host the content. Not good enough to view it,
@Sean, I agree, three washed up has beens. Plenty of good talent out there and these old farts will not give young talent a look in. Reminds me of another TV station !!
Snob
I want an amazon.ie first, sick of getting shafted by currency conversion. Considering their large presence here not even having an Irish store front is a joke. They let me sign up to amazon prime even though the main benefit of amazon prime, the free next day delivery, isn’t available for here, they’ll still charge you the same amount though and wont even offer the 2 day delivery (which is available) as an alternative unless you badger 3 different customer service reps for an hour
You can’t keep a good man down.
Jeremy Clarkson is the Mad Max of reality TV.
An anti hero in the barren landscape of a politically correct dystopia.
Yeah. I love him because he makes liberals cry.
YES!
Now, if news breaks that they’re doing the long overdue 918, P1 & LaFerrari shootout, that will absolutely make my day.
I did love top gear with Hammond, Clarkson and May but I really hope the new top gear will be successful without them. Just because Clarkson is arrogant and seems to think he can do and get away with whatever he wants because the show won’t be successful without him.
But Chris Evans?? I dont see it workng
The new Top Gear will be the poster child of politically correct tokenism.
I hope this fails, but there are enough readers of the Star out there to keep these 3 toffs in comfort for a while. What is it with people wanting to watch public school Boys driving around?
Moronic comment of the week.
Entitled to your opinion on them but in fairness they are hardly toffs. They’ve worked pretty hard to get where they did.
Clarkson is from Yorkshire and went to a co-ed school….so not really in line with the toff image.
Forgive the idiot, give him more money because car lovers want him back on TV, even if he showed his true colours as a racist..Come on people. A bi-plane to a spaceship or whatever he said..? BBC top gear made you now you insult it? It only takes time, he’ll be racist again. Once a racist, always one
I couldnt care less if he’s a racist or that he punched that guy. He’s a top notch car show presenter and that’s all that matters to me.
Ha! In this world you could be literally Hitler but as long as you’re good at talking about cars people will love you.
Joanna
I suggest you educate yourself on Aldolf Hitler.
People want him back as a TV presenter, not as a bff. He’s good at what he does and enough people enjoy it by their own free will so why complain?
Remember when racist meant hating or discriminating against someone because of their skin colour, nationality or religion.
Ah Karol, I was exaggerating for dramatic effect. Personally I find it difficult to support someone’s work after I realise they’re an awful person. A lot of people would feel the same but not everyone.
How do you know what sort of person he is? Do you know him personally?
He punched his boss. Sounds like a stand up chap altogether.
Well then he’s done something that we’ve all wanted to do.
Things looking good for Hulk Hogan so.
hogan is nailed on to be on UK celebrity big brother
Getting a bit tiring now those trio, loved top gear, but for me it’s had its time, that’s just me of course others will not be the same
some people really do not understand what racism actually is. Being from Ireland doesnt make me a seperate race of human being. For the love of fictional characters in the sky, will you please stop branding everyone racist at every turn.
You are dead right some people don’t get what racism is and it is you. Irish people are an ethnic group, treating an ethnic group with insults and generally badly is racism. So two ” white” groups can be racist to each other. You misunderstand racism to mean ‘race’ only and them use a narrow understanding of the term.
Oh, erm no. You are wrong.
can we focus on the real issue here…..who got custody of The Stig?
It’s no problem it will ‘ve available for download free of charge on torrent websites. Perfect
It’ll be on “DAVE” soon.
It should be on nickelodeon.
G.O.B.S.H.I.T.E.S. The lot of them.
It really irritates me that the BBC, ITV and Amazon penalize ROI consumers.
As a motoring enthusiast I wouldn’t give a stuff if this trio disappeared down a hole. Fifth gear for me!
I’ll be downloading it on Showbox and watching it on my tv through my Chromecast, sorted.
Ok he’s not racist… Just a xenophobic British.. Better right?
You sound like an anti-British xenophobic bigot and probably a misandrist to boot also.
See its not nice when people say mean things. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?
Three pathetic losers, absolutely. cants, although I will admit they were hugely popular among men with tiny mickeys
Tosspots
good news they are bunch of tossers,snobs talking shite.
Woo hoo!
Rain gear
More bollocks!
33-1 on engaging that anti-choice propaganda.
I’ll watch it the same way as before, as will everybody else.
The blocking system is based on the IP source. Thankfully the restriction is quite easy to bypass. You need to use a VPN service account based in the US , which you have for 5 Dollars a Month. -Select a provider with US server location -Download the software -Switch your IP -Connect to Amazon Instant Video
As a Netflix subscriber, I’m delighted by this development.
Great news I really don’t want to see it!
hopefully they won’t have any of that star in a reasonably priced car bull top gear was good when it was fantasy, units obtainable cars and set up situations.
the “that’s something I can afford” element is very important
as Amazon don’t offer Prime in Ireland. I’m sure that they’ll have no problems selling the Irish rights of it to RTE, TV3 or ITV.
Watch prime movies, netflix, bbc iplayer and even itv player while on vacation. With VPN unlimited you get encrypted and secured connection which allows you to browse safely and discretely on the internet. Click the link below for your limited time offer of 3 months http://www.fiverr.com/s/8sz6eb?utm_source=com.google.android.apps.docs_Mobile
Watch prime movies, netflix, bbc iplayer and even itv player while on vacation. With VPN unlimited you get encrypted and secured connection which allows you to browse safely and discretely on the internet. Click the link below for your limited time offer of 3 months http://www.fiverr.com/s/8sz6eb?utm_source=com.google.android.apps.docs_Mobile
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