Golf LIV It has done more than upset the status quo in golf, it also seems to have driven a wedge between old friends.
twenty three times PGA Tour winner Rory McIlroy was blunt at a press conference during the Hero Dubai Desert Classic last month when asked if he felt the need to mend his relationship with former Ryder Cup teammate Sergio Garcia amid the possibility of that the Spaniard could still be part of the team in 2023.
Sergio Garcia, right, and Rory McIlroy celebrate victory during the 2018 Ryder Cup morning four-ball matches at Le Golf National on September 29, 2018 in Paris. (Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
«No,» he snapped back.
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McIlroy has not shied away from making public comments on PGA Tour Dropouts, saying in October that «it is the first time in my life that I feel betrayal».
The feeling is mutual with Garcia saying this week that the blame for his fractured relationship with McIlroy rests with him.
Rory McIlroy, left, talks with Sergio Garcia on the 12th hole during a practice round before the 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club on August 8, 2018 in St Louis, Missouri. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
«I think it’s very sad,» Garcia told The Telegraph on Thursday. “I think we’ve done so many things together and had so many experiences that for him to throw that away just because I decided to go on a different tour, well, he doesn’t seem very mature, immature, really. «
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«Rory has his own life and makes his own decisions, the same way I make mine. I respect his choice, but it seems like he doesn’t respect the ones I make. So it’s a one-way street,» she said. continued.
Garcia and McIlroy have been longtime friends both on and off the field, and McIlroy was even best man at their wedding in 2017. Garcia told the outlet that while he’s not opposed to a reconciliation, he doubts McIlroy would be interested in a reconciliation. a.
Rory McIlroy, left, speaks with Sergio Garcia during the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 11, 2021 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
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«Sure, I don’t have any problem with him. He’s the one with a problem,» he said. «So if he wants to reconcile, then I’m willing to talk, but I’m not sure he’ll stoop to that level.»
Garcia is the all-time Ryder Cup points leader, which means his absence from this year’s tournament could spell trouble for Team Europe, regardless of anyone’s feelings about their current tour.