McIlroy: PGA-LIV feud getting 'out of control'

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy said the feud betwixt the PGA Tour and LIV Golf Series is "out of control" and warned it could permission the athletics fractured for a agelong time.

In an interrogation with the Guardian, McIlroy described the ambiance successful the crippled arsenic "us vs. them" and said the escalation of the feud volition apt go "irreparable."

The Saudi-backed LIV bid has lured distant immoderate of the PGA Tour's apical members with immense sums of money, portion those who joined the rival circuit person been suspended by the U.S.-based organisation.

LIV has filed a suit accusing the PGA Tour of antitrust violations, portion the PGA Tour has filed a counterclaim.

"This 'us vs. them' happening has gotten mode retired of power already," McIlroy said.

"If the 2 entities support doubling down successful some directions, it is lone going to go irreparable. We are going to person a fractured athletics for a agelong time. That is nary bully for anyone."

Several of McIlroy's erstwhile Ryder Cup teammates, including Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia, person joined the arguable circuit and it is unclear whether they volition beryllium allowed to diagnostic successful adjacent year's event.

Henrik Stenson has been stripped of Team Europe's captaincy aft joining the Saudi-backed series.

"I deliberation it is the archetypal clip successful my beingness that I person felt betrayal, successful a way," McIlroy added. "You physique bonds with these radical done Ryder Cups and different things. Them knowing that what they are astir to bash is going to jeopardise them from being a portion of that ever again?

"I would similar to deliberation the Ryder Cup means arsenic overmuch to them arsenic it does to me. Maybe it does. But knowing what the consequences could be, I conscionable could ne'er marque that decision."

McIlroy said players should person tried to resoluteness their issues with the established tours alternatively than switching to LIV.

"I consciousness similar the spot wherever they person been capable to physique their bequest and physique their brand, they person conscionable near behind," helium added.

"If radical felt truthful aggrieved astir immoderate things, I'd alternatively beryllium trying to marque those changes from wrong the walls than trying to spell extracurricular and beryllium disruptive."

McIlroy returned to satellite No. 1 by winning the CJ Cup successful South Carolina connected Sunday.