Billy Horschel praises PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy after LIV Golf U-Turn

Billy Horschel has expressed his admiration for Rory McIlroy despite the latter’s surprising shift in stance regarding the controversial LIV Golf series. Initially, McIlroy was a vocal opponent of the Saudi-funded breakaway tour that emerged in 2022 and caused significant division within the sport.
McIlroy had once declared his disdain for LIV, stating he would rather quit than play if it were the last golf option available. However, by mid-2023, after an unexpected “framework agreement” between LIV’s financiers and the PGA Tour and DP World Tour hinted at a possible merger, McIlroy’s perspective shifted.
Earlier this year, the four-time major champion softened his stance, acknowledging LIV as “part of our sport now” and even considering participation in LIV-affiliated events.
While McIlroy’s reversal has surprised many in the golf community, his fellow competitor Horschel has praised McIlroy’s transparency.
Horschel, who recently bested McIlroy in a thrilling BMW PGA Championship playoff, shared with Golf, by TourMiss: “Rory and I are pretty good friends. He’s sent me great messages in the past and I’ve done the same, so we’re good friends.”
Horschel continued to commend McIlroy, saying: “The great thing also about Rory is that he’s always been pretty honest with everyone. He says things as he sees them and while he’s changed his mind about what is continuing in the bigger picture in men’s golf, I don’t fault him for it.”
“So, I found myself applauding him for changing his views and listening to him. There’s not many guys in the game of golf better than Rory.”
In the midst of ongoing merger talks in the world of golf, McIlroy has identified the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and a divided stance among players as the primary hurdles to reaching a final peace deal.
Following recent optimistic discussions in New York, McIlroy acknowledged the positive atmosphere but also recognized the DOJ’s influence, which led to the removal of a non-solicitation clause from the initial agreement.
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When asked about the main challenges to a deal, McIlroy pointed out: “Department of Justice. Maybe different interests from the players’ side.”
He further noted the split opinions among players, saying, “I’d say maybe half the players on LIV want the deal to get done, half probably don’t. I’d say it’s probably similar on the PGA Tour.”
McIlroy elaborated on the self-interest at play, stating, “Because just like anything, everyone’s looking out for themselves and their best interests. It would benefit some people for a deal not to get done, but it would obviously benefit some people for a deal to get done.”