It dawned on me just last weekend that Australian Golf has tested a lot of muddy water surrounding Rory McIlroy, and they’ve found mud.
The obvious hypocrisy in golf is just that to me.
Rory McIlroy played the man, that being our Aussie legend, Greg Norman, in some of the most vicious public attacks and ultimatums I’ve ever heard.
Greg’s wish has always been to have golf spread itself better around the world. A very valid wish, in my opinion.
Having befriended the financiers after about 30 years of looking and hoping, Greg announced a global tour, and Rory has been going off ever since.
Sportswashing was mentioned first, and the human rights issues of Saudi Arabia, forgetting that Emirati companies and businesses began paying Rory for his services 20 years ago.
Then, ‘It’s nothing but a global money grab by a group led by the questionable Mr Greg Norman’.
Yet, he reinvented Australian golf, year after year, with his US off-season commitments to Australian golf. Has Rory forgotten that?
That goes against Rory recently having decided to play under the Great Britain banner when he got the chance, saying he sort of always felt more English than Irish at times. That’s angered plenty more in the Irish world.
Greg’s commitment vs Rory’s flakiness is a bit of a worry.
As for the ‘money-grabbing LIV tourists’, as he called them, he’s coming to Australia for the 2025 Australian Open for a mind-boggling appearance fee, reportedly upwards of $2 million.
I can’t believe how much appearance money golf tournaments and tours have to pay. So, whose money-grabbing here?
His next tournament, guess where it is? It’s in Dubai from November 13 to 16… right next to those Saudis he doesn’t like for manufactured reasons.
Greg maintains he respects Rory McIlroy’s golf.
He just doesn’t understand the LIV vision and is a hypocrite without such education.
This is the most personal battle I know, which has become a moral disagreement and a philosophical one, not to mention the financial one.
Should Australian golf have done more for Greg Norman than woo Rory McIlroy with huge money for this year’s Australian Open?
Do you feel the hypocrisy, or is it just me?
Has Rory McIlroy changed for you as he has for me? Let us know.
