Rory: Decided to be 'pain' to Norman after barb

Rory McIlroy thought his differences with Greg Norman implicit a Saudi-funded rival play league had been patched up. That changed erstwhile Norman accused him of being "brainwashed" by golf's ruling brass.

"I thought, You cognize what? I'm going to marque it my concern present to beryllium arsenic overmuch of a symptom successful his arse arsenic possible,'" McIlroy said successful a lengthy interrogation successful the Sunday Independent successful Ireland.

The interrogation with writer Paul Kimmage is the 2nd of 3 parts. McIlroy besides details however his narration soured with longtime person Sergio Garcia.

McIlroy and Tiger Woods person said Norman, the CEO and commissioner of LIV Golf, needs to beryllium retired of the representation for play to person immoderate accidental of coming together. Norman said that won't beryllium happening.

"I wage zero attraction to McIlroy and Woods, right?" Norman said successful an interrogation with British mag Today's Golfer. "They person their docket for immoderate reason. They're saying immoderate they privation to say. It has nary bearing oregon effect connected me. I'm going to beryllium with LIV for a long, agelong play of time."

McIlroy has been taking shots astatine Norman since helium won the Canadian Open successful June, a time aft LIV Golf finished its inaugural lawsuit extracurricular London. He went retired of his mode to constituent retired his 21st vocation PGA Tour triumph was "one much than idiosyncratic else."

"That gave maine a small other inducement today," McIlroy said.

The notation was to Norman, who has 20 vocation PGA Tour wins.

When helium had a accidental to instrumentality to No. 1 successful the satellite ranking astatine the CJ Cup successful October, McIlroy was asked whether helium had a extremity of however galore weeks helium would similar to beryllium No. 1 by the extremity of his career. He mentioned 332, which is 1 much than Norman.

Most precocious successful Dubai past month, McIlroy said the fractured authorities of play betwixt the PGA Tour and LIV Golf could not heal arsenic agelong arsenic Norman is involved.

"I deliberation Greg needs to go. I deliberation helium conscionable needs to exit signifier left," McIlroy said, adding that nary 1 would beryllium consenting to speech "unless there's an big successful the room."

Woods echoed those comments astatine the Hero World Challenge this week successful the Bahamas.

"I americium not going anywhere. I don't attraction what anybody says. I'm not going anywhere," Norman told Today's Golfer. "I americium truthful arrogant of the presumption I americium successful and maybe, maybe, it's my enactment that has them scared. Maybe."

McIlroy said the rift began successful February 2020 erstwhile speech archetypal surfaced astir a "Premier Golf League" backed by Saudi money. McIlroy was the archetypal apical subordinate to accidental helium wasn't interested, adding helium wanted to beryllium connected the close broadside of history.

He referenced a infinitesimal erstwhile Arnold Palmer stood up for the PGA Tour against Norman's projected World Golf Tour successful 1994. Palmer's words enactment a speedy extremity to it.

"[Norman] wasn't happy, and we had a beauteous testy back-and-forth and helium was precise condescending. 'Maybe 1 time you'll understand' and each this [stuff]," McIlroy said successful the Independent interview.

Then, successful April this year, McIlroy watched an ESPN documentary connected Norman's illness to suffer the 1996 Masters and was moved capable to nonstop Norman a connection that included, "Hopefully it reminds everyone of what a large golfer you were."

McIlroy said Norman had sent him a touching enactment aft McIlroy mislaid a 4-shot pb successful the last circular of the 2011 Masters.

"He was great," McIlroy said. "So I said to him, 'Watching it reminded maine of however you reached retired to maine successful 2011, and I conscionable privation to accidental that I'll ever admit it. It meant a lot. I cognize our sentiment connected the crippled of play close present is precise different, but I conscionable wanted you to cognize that and privation you each the best.'

"So, a spot of an olive branch, and helium came backmost to maine straightaway: 'I truly deliberation play tin beryllium a unit for bully astir the world. ... I cognize our opinions are not aligned, but I'm conscionable trying to make much opportunities for each golfer astir the world.'

"Fine. Really nice," McIlroy said. "Then, a mates of weeks later, helium does an interrogation with The Washington Post and says I've been 'brainwashed by the PGA Tour.'

"We've had this truly bully back-and-forth and helium says that astir me."

McIlroy added successful the interrogation that the PGA Tour is fortunate Norman is progressive successful LIV due to the fact that "I deliberation if they had recovered idiosyncratic little polarizing, LIV could person made much inroads."

McIlroy said his 2 play idols were Woods and Garcia, describing the Spaniard arsenic an breathtaking young player. They were astatine each other's weddings; McIlroy was adjacent a groomsman for Garcia.

McIlroy said helium didn't cognize Garcia was joining LIV Golf until the Spaniard said to him connected the scope astatine the Wells Fargo Championship that helium had a caller level and offered McIlroy a thrust to the archetypal LIV lawsuit adjacent London.

The narration soured astatine the U.S. Open, the week aft McIlroy won successful Canada. McIlroy had said successful his interrogation that week that players joining LIV Golf were taking the casual mode out.

He said helium awoke Friday of the U.S. Open to a substance from Garcia "basically telling maine to unopen up astir LIV, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah."

"I was beauteous offended and sent him backmost a mates of daggers and that was it," McIlroy said.