Rory McIlroy's Former Agent Wouldn't Be Stunned If He Joined LIV Golf Given His Flip-Flopping Of Opinion

Rory McIlroy has gone from being the most vocal critic of LIV Golf to admitting regret for how judgmental he has been about the players who made the jump to the Saudi-backed circuit. His views about the PGA Tour's rival circuit has softened, dramatically, yet his former agent is not surprised at all by McIlroy's change of opinion.

In fact, he wouldn't be stunned if McIlroy's softened viewpoints could be him laying out the groundwork for an eventual move to LIV.

Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler was McIlroy's agent when he first turned professional and recently explained that it's long been part of his former client's personality to share an opinion and then apologize for it when reality changes.

"It’s typical Rory, Rory is not shy in having an opinion and not slow to apologize if he’s got that wrong," Chandler told Bunkered. "When he turned pro in 2008 we were sat on a bench at Gleneagles and I had Rory telling me that the Ryder Cup meant nothing at all to him. ‘It was just an exhibition match. I’m here to win majors.’ There’s nobody bigger into the Ryder Cup now than Rory McIlroy."

(Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Looking back on that Ryder Cup story it led Chandler to share his bold opinion about McIlroy's potential future on LIV Golf.

"If you were being cynical, you might say he’s going to sign for about £750million in a month’s time with LIV because he’s paving the way that LIV’s okay now, whereas it wasn’t," Chandler continued.

"Who knows? He doesn’t need £750m but it’s odd what he’s done and I’m sure it’s a possibility. If he does it or not, I don’t know, but if Rahm can do it, most guys can do it."

While Chandler is right in saying that Jon Rahm's departure for LIV Golf at the end of 2023 was a shock to the system, Rahm wasn't nearly as critical of the Saudi-backed circuit as McIlroy was.

In July 2023 McIlroy said, "If LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on Earth, I would retire." It's worth noting that quote came a month after the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF announced their framework agreement.

McIlroy's latest public quest has been a global golf tour that would resemble the Champions League in European soccer. He's also still on board with the idea of Saudi investment into the PGA Tour, or this new global circuit he said would be his "dream scenario."