Rory McIlroy will NOT join LIV Golf after sensational reports claimed the European Ryder Cup hero was ‘about to accept a £680m U-turn’

Rory McIlroy will not join LIV Golf after reports claimed the four-time major champion was “about to agree to a £682 million ($850 million) U-turn”.

McIlroy, who plays at the RBC Heritage on Thursday after finishing T22 at the Masters this weekend, has been one of the Saudi-backed separatist league’s most vocal opponents since its inception in 2021.

Despite this, its stance towards the PGA Tour’s rival league has softened in recent times, following the shock announcement last summer that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were in talks with LIV Golf about a strategic partnership.

While other Ryder Cup stars like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton have recently switched sides to join LIV, reports from City AM claimed on Sunday that McIlroy was “close to doing the same”. The outlet claims he was offered a tempting sum of money, greater than the £400 million ($500 million) paid to Rahm, to switch allegiances.

Mail Sport now understands that these claims that McIlroy is considering a move to LIV for £682million are not true, with sources close to the Northern Irish golfer having denied the reports.

All eyes were on the Northern Irish golfer arriving this weekend as he attempted to end his long-running quest for the coveted green jacket, for the tenth time.

Unfortunately, it appears the pressure was too much for McIlroy this weekend, as the Northern Irishman endured a tough weekend at the Masters, finishing four over par, shooting scores of 71, 77, 71 and 73.

After finishing one under par on Thursday, McIlroy put himself in danger of missing the cut on Friday, but fought hard to reach par on the final four holes of his round. He would return on Saturday with a below-average score for the day, but failed to mount enough of a charge to put him back in contention on Sunday. McIlroy would eventually place T22, his third best finish at the Masters.

Over the past few years, the 34-year-old has launched several scathing attacks on the emergence of LIV Golf, which he said in 2022 had “destroyed the game” and that he “hated” what the rival tour was doing . professional golfer.

“If you believe in something, I think you have to say it, and I believe in it very strongly,” McIlroy said ahead of the 2022 BMW PGA Championship. “I hate what it does to golf. I hate that. I really do.

“It’s going to be difficult for me to accept going to Wentworth and seeing 18 there. It just doesn’t work for me.

McIlroy had also said he felt “like a sacrificial lamb” after LIV Golf, the PGA Tour DP World Tour, announced its peace talks last year. According to Alan Shipnuck, the announcement of the golf merger “broke Rory McIlroy’s heart”.

Despite this, in recent months the Ryder Cup winner’s stance on golf’s civil war has softened, admitting that he had perhaps been too critical of those who joined the separatist circuit and that they did not should not be punished for their return to the PGA Tour.

“I think at this point I was maybe a little critical of the guys who went to LIV golf at the beginning, and I think that was a little bit of a mistake on my part because I realize now that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Wood’s position,” he said on the Stick to Football podcast, presented by Sky Bet.

McIlory had in the past clashed with several LIV stars, including his close friend Sergio Garcia, with the two men reaching a disagreement over his defection to LIV.

Despite this, LIV CEO Greg Norman thanked McIlroy for falling on his sword after the comments, with the Australian and Northern Irishman having been at loggerheads for several years.

“I have to be honest with you, I really appreciate what Rory said,” Norman said on the LIV Golf podcast. “It’s been a painful few years.

“The reason I say I appreciate Rory falling on his sword to some extent is the fact that he judged us by not knowing the facts.

“He judged us based on other people’s thoughts and opinions. I say, “Hey, thanks Rory.” This is an important turning point for everyone.

It comes as McIlroy’s former agent Andrew “Chubby” Chandler spoke favorably about the chances McIlroy could defect to LIV earlier this year, noting his change in attitude towards the rival tour.

“If you were cynical you might say he’s going to sign for around £750 million in a month from LIV because he’s paving the way for LIV to be OK now when it wasn’t ” he told Bunkered.

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

“I think first of all, there’s a 10% chance that he’s supportive of him signing for LIV, but he realizes that all this bickering and fighting is not good for golf.” The man in the street must find the sums of money we are talking about appalling.